Who killed 12 year old Saidi Velez? Police still have no answer for that tonight, but there are a few new leads that they are following up on and a few they have given up on. Today I travelled to Belmopan to get the latest.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Two days after the badly decomposed body of twelve year old Saida Noemi Godoy Veliz was discovered in some bushes on a feeder road off miles forty three on the Western Highway, today Belmopan police are no closer to finding the child’ s killer. One man authorities are trying to locate is an electrician the girl’s family told police she was sent to see on the evening of Monday thirteenth. After that she never returned home.
Insp. David Chi, Belmopan Police
“We have not gotten the name of that person who she was sent to see. That was the information that she was sent to see to look for some electrician. That sort of information is being looked into to, to find out whether or not she had did went to find any electrician at all or what was her business on the street during that time of the evening.”
Half an hour after the primary school student was reported missing police detained a volunteer special constable for thirty six hours and released him. Police say he does
remain a person of interest.
Insp. David Chi,
“He is a volunteer special constable, a person who comes and just gives voluntary service to the police. He is not one of the regular special constables who is on salary. He comes in for maybe a four hours per week or when he has the time he comes in and assists the police. He is more like an aide to the police. He is not a police officer as people may say he is a police officer. He is a volunteer person who volunteers service to the police.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
When the police received this information that this person who still continues to be a person of interest was seen in the company of the little girl, no doubt he was brought in, detained, what is he saying?
Insp. David Chi,
“He was interviewed and he denied having any contact with this person. Based on our investigation so far we have nothing substantial to warrant a charge or anything of the sort on him so he was later released. As far as I know he stated that he did saw her when he was passing through the village on his way from work, that is his information.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And they just spoke and he went on his way?
Insp. David Chi,
“No he saw her and went on his way.”
Sources tell 7News that prior to her disappearance Saidi Velez had received disturbing text messages on her cell phone that indicate she may have been having a relationship with a man. That person remains unidentified.
Insp. David Chi,
“It disturbs anyone when someone would lose their life in that nature. So it is a concern not only for the police but for the entire public at large that young people are being killed without any reason, senselessly. The investigators are out there, not on the crime scene, but in the village or villages continuing their investigation into the death surrounding Saidi Velez. At this moment there is no new developments so we are seeking how much evidence we could gather.”
While Inspector David Chi could not say when he believes they will be able to solve the murder of twelve year old Saidi Noemi Godoy Veliz, he is optimistic that the young girl’s killer will be caught.
Insp. David Chi,
“There were some signs that there may be violence on the body, where the body has certain parts that had started decomposing more rapid than other parts of the body, hence the reason why we suspected foul play. It is not a good sign or news for anyone for these types of things to be happening in our country and that is why I am optimistic that we will solve this one.”
Police say that while there have been much speculation by the family about the volunteer special constable’s role in the child’s disappearance, they must have strong evidence to take to court and so far they have been unable to confirm any of the family’s strong suspicions.
