Seven days after Orange Walk Police say he was involved in the murder of a Chinese businessman and three police officers, Kevin Cowboy Alvarez was handcuffed hand and foot and escorted over to the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court under very heavy police guard. It took a week to charge him because Alvarez had been in the Northern Regional Hospital recovering after sustaining a gun shot wound during the dramatic Saturday night shootout with police – where according to the Commissioner, when he was surrounded, he emerged out of the New River with two pistols blazing.
And while he was in the hospital, police have been investigating, trying to find enough evidence to charge him for the murder of 38 year old Hui Lin Chen who was killed inside a warehouse in the center of Orange Walk. Today, police were satisfied that they had gathered enough evidence to slap him with 16 charges. And so a crowd spectators gathered by the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court to get a look at the man who police say terrorized their town this past weekend. Jacqueline Godwin reports from Orange Walk Town where she asked Cowboy if he had anything to say.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Cowboy you’ve been charged with murder and attempted murder of three police officers, anything to say?
[Kevin Cowboy Alvarez Nods Head]
Jacqueline Godwin,
Nothing at all?
Kevin Cowboy Alvarez, Charged for Murder
“Nada.”
Supt. Joseph Myvette, OIC – Orange Walk Police
“At this point in time he has sixteen charges; one for murder, four for attempted murder, four for use of deadly means of harm, one for wounding and two for unlicensed firearm and two for unlicensed ammunition.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
You mentioned that he has been charged with four counts of attempted murder although there were only two police officers injured.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“What happened is that one officer was able to escape some of the
bullets.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
You there have been charges already or allegations made by the family that the police beat Cowboy. When I asked Alvarez on his way over to court, he said just look at me and see for yourself.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“That also we are looking into but certainly you must take into account that in order to subdue that person based on what was happening out there, force certainly had to be used to subdue him.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Had brutally beaten you. Is there any truth to that?
Kevin Cowboy Alvarez,
“Just look pon me and you will see. Just look pon my head and you will see.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
But no reason as to why they would want to do that, I mean this is some serious charges against you?
Kevin Cowboy Alvarez,
“I have nothing to say right now.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do police have strong evidence against Mr. Alvarez in which you believe you have a strong case here?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“Yes we believe we have strong enough evidence.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
You said you believe you have strong evidence that Mr. Alvarez is the individual who killed the Chinese businessman?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“Yes based on the evidence found at the scene we believe we have sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Can the police share with us those evidence?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“Certainly we know that a dread cap was found at the scene as I mentioned to you, a cell phone was found at the scene, and other materials were also found at the scene.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Motive for this killing?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“At this point in time we do not know but this investigation will still continue and may lead to other arrests.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
How are the three injured police officers doing at this time?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“One is out recovering whilst two are recuperating at the hospital in Belize City.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
The heavy evidence of police security. Why?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“Well first of all we are doing this for his own safety as well as for the safety of our officers to ensure that this process goes without incident.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
There are some serious charges against this individual but yet he appeared to be very calm, cool, relaxed. Did this surprise you?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“Since this morning that this how he has been. He has been very quiet and very relaxed. That is the mood I observed him in.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Prior to that what was his behaviour?
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
“He was a little agitated whilst being at the hospital for the first couple of days but after that he just became really calm.”
Alvarez was represented by attorney Richard Dickie Bradley. Following Cowboy’s court appearance he was remanded to the Hattieville Prison. Meanwhile the officer in charge of the Orange Walk Police Station Supt. Joseph Myvett says they have still been unable to find the second suspect but they have detained one man they believe was involved in a series of robberies that occurred later that Saturday night.
While the police do not believe the subsequent robberies are connected to the murder and the police shootings they are investigating to see if the man detained may have information on what transpired earlier that night that led to the murder of thirty seven year old Hui Lin Chen and the attempted murder of their police officers.
