Details are sketchy at this time and again, a newsworthy incident has not appeared in the police press releases – sorry, correct that, we didn’t even get one today! But today our newsroom was flooded with phone calls from residents of Benque Viejo concerning what has been described as illegal searches conducted by a Customs officer attached to the Belize western border and four men all believed to be Belize City residents.
It happened sometime on Saturday night. The report is that the Customs officer identified as Eric Vasquez who resides in that western town went looking for two pitbull puppies that were allegedly stolen from his home reportedly sometime earlier in the week. Eric Vasquez reportedly made a report with Benque Police who we understand were investigating the case and a resident twenty two year old Rene Castellanos was initially detained and questioned but released after authorities could not link him to the crime.
The police continued working on the case but the report is that the dog owner and four of his friends decided to take matters into their own hands. Police say sometime on Saturday evening, the men led by Customs officer Eric Vasquez first went to the home of area resident Raphael Martinez. The men were reportedly armed with a gun, machete and bottles that we understand were used to threaten the Martinez family. Authorities say Raphael Martinez and his mother were harmed.
But they didn’t find the pitbulls and then Eric Vasquez in the company of Brian Richardson and Ashton Gill who both reside in the King’s Park area in Belize City and two other men then allegedly went to the home of twenty two year old René Castellanos. According to a family member the men were similarly armed. The sister told 7News as she watched from the verandah she could not believed what happened to her brother.
According to the sister as the Customs officer prevented her brother from running into their residence, he shouted and accused Rene Castellanos of stealing his puppies. The four other men then started beating Castellanos. According to the victim’s sister her brother sustained bruises all over his body, and scrapes as he was lashed with a machete. Benque Ppolice confirmed receiving the reports made to us stating that they do not know why the men took matters into their own hands when investigators had not closed the case. Based on the investigation, the customs officer and two of the four men were arrested and charged.
Police report that the Customs officer Eric Vasquez has been charged with one count of aggravated assault and three counts of harm. We understand that Brian Richardson and Ashton Gill have also been charged with three counts of harm. Because of the nature of the crime that was committed with a firearm, the Customs officer Eric Vasquez was remanded to Hattieville Prison but his attorney did apply for bail which was granted and he is presently out of jail. Brian Richardson and Ashton Gill are also out on bail. As for the stolen pitbull puppies? Up to newstime the animals have not yet been found.
