Did cane cutters from the north kill a well known taxi driver from the west? That is what Corozal authorities are trying to determine as they investigate the latest homicide from that most northern district. The mystery started to unfold just after six on Thursday evening when a group of men were returning from a fishing trip when they found an abandoned car on the Consejo Road three miles out of Corozal town. When they looked closer, the found something that shocked them: the badly chopped up body of sixty two year old Miguel Angel Aldana, originally from Melchor but a resident of Libertad Village was lying dead.
Today the murder remains a mystery, because so far it appears that nothing was stolen from the victim who has been described as a humble man who had no known enemies. Today I travelled north to try and get to the bottom of this vicious killing that has left the police and a grieving family in weary disbelief.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
It was here at approximately one hundred and twenty five feet down this deserted road that police discovered the Ford Escort station wagon.
Supt. Miguel Guzman, OIC - Corozal Police
“There was some attempt to take the vehicle further on that feeder road but because of the condition of a certain area of the road, it is sort of soft so when the car, because of height tried to cross it couldn’t cross. It got bogged in the soft mud and there were indications that there were attempting to take the vehicle out. I am not sure at which point in time the
incident occurred where the injuries were inflicted. I am not sure if Mr. Aldana was the one attempting to take the vehicle out of the mud or if there were other people along with him but that investigation is still ongoing.”
Corozal Police strongly believe that the 62 year old taxi driver was first injured inside his car and then killed outside of the vehicle where they found the lifeless body of Miguel Angel Aldana. He found lying faced down with multiple injuries.
Supt. Miguel Guzman,
“Two stab wounds to the back region and chop wounds to the left and right hand and the head region. That includes the face and on top of the head which we believe may have been the fatal injuries that were caused.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do we know if anything was stolen from Mr. Aldana?
Supt. Miguel Guzman,
“At this point in time we cannot say. The preliminary information is that he left his home at 7 o’clock and he did not arrive home at 12 as usual to have lunch and then come back at 1. He has a routine so on seeing
that, there was no report made that he was missing or anything, we learned this information afterwards so it is possible because of his routine that the incident may have occurred between 7 and 12 in the morning.”
The Aldana family does not know why anyone would want to kill their loved one.
Wilber Aldana, Son of Murder Victim
“We are sad because they killed him. They killed him and we do not know why. It is bad what they did to him. He has always been a working man. He was working to feed his grandchildren. The youngest grandchild lived with them. What happen? We do not know what happened. We are sad. He was a humble person, he did not drink.”
Emiliana Aldana too distraught to talk said her husband who was a long time member of the Benque Taxi Association had only moved to Libertad Village in the Corozal District nine months ago but that he was a very quiet man and she is at a loss as to why he was murdered.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Anyone detained at this time?
Supt. Miguel Guzman,
“Yes we have several suspects that are in police custody and we are having interviews with them individually yes.”
According to a police press release, Corozal authorities have detained a number of suspects all cane cutters of Libertad and Concepcion Villages pending charges.
