Two women were murdered last night, we already told you about the first one in Caye Caulker. In that village the randomness and murderous cruelty shown to one of the most well known persons in the community is what has caused shock and outrage. In Orange Walk where the other woman was killed – it’s a very different situation. In this case, no one in the area knew the victim and evidence gathered so far suggests that she may have been killed not by a stranger, but by her ex – a troubled man with a bad temper. Here’s what I found out in Orange Walk today.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
It was here in this overgrown abandoned lot in Orange Walk Town that the nude body of a young woman was found about seven fifty this morning. Some four hours after the gruesome discovery the deputy officer in charge of Orange Walk Police Inspector Selvin Gillett told 7News that they were still trying to determine the identity of the victim who appeared to have been strangled.
But following our visit with the police Regina Mendoza who lives across the way from the crime scene told us that at first she could not tell who had been murdered; that is, until the police showed her a photograph of the victim. According to Regina Mendoza, the young woman who she knows only as Karina was her brother’s girlfriend.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“How were you able to recognize Karina?”
Regina Mendoza, ID’d the Victim
“Because of the liver spots she has on her face and her red hair. She has red hair and she is a little fat in her face and she is little bit like my skin but when they found her there I didn’t recognize her because she had the underwear on her face, she underwear and she had her bra on top of her breast and a blue shorts on top and she was naked. And then out there they found a blouse besides the mechanic and then they went and picked her up. But the morning before the police came she had her underwear on her face covered. That is reason why nobody went in and touched nothing and then they took and when they took her, she was all covered but her was hanging and it was red but that didn’t come to my mind it was her. They just said they found a body and said it was a woman but then when they took her the police just came and said that somebody said it was my brother’s girlfriend. So they brought the picture and it’s her. On the picture I recognized it was her.”
Police have since confirmed that they believe the Jane Doe is one Karina Daniels
from Corozal. Maria Moguel who lives directly across from where the killing occurred told us she was home watching television but did not hear anything out of the ordinary.
Maria Moguel, Neighbour
“Nothing, nothing.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Were the dogs barking last night?”
Maria Moguel,
“Yes I heard some dogs barking but I didn’t came out.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Around what time?”
Maria Moguel,
“That was before 12 because we were watching football, I and my husband.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“And when did you realize that something had happened right next door, right across from where you live?”
Maria Moguel,
“This morning at about 8:30.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“What caught your attention?”
Maria Moguel,
“Well I came out on my veranda and I saw a lot of people and I said what was happening and I came down from the steps and came across here and they were saying it is a body there.”
Insp. Selvin Tillett did not want to speculate on what he believes happened to the victim. But from the condition in which she was discovered it is more than likely she was killed either during or after having sex or being raped.
Insp. Selvin Tillett, Deputy O.C. – Orange Walk Police
“Hispanic female lying on her back. Her face was covered with her
underwear and her private part was covered with her blouse. She was laying on a jeans pants that belonged to her.
I would say it was some sexual but I cannot say yes it is but the way she was found, she was partially nude except for the draws on her face and the shirt over the private part and she was lying on the jeans pants, I would say that happened but I cannot verify that as yet.
There were signs around her neck but post mortem will determine whether she was strangled or not.”
Until the result of the post mortem there appears to be no other obvious signs of injury. While Karina’s killer has not yet been identified, Regina Mendoza says earlier that night she was in the company of her brother Carlos Kemme.
Regina Mendoza,
“And they saw him with her last night so I do not know what could have happened.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“And where is your brother right now?”
Regina Mendoza,
“I don’t know. I haven’t nothing about him.”
While Regina Mendoza says she does not know if her brother is responsible, she would only say that he has a violent temper that caused her to make a complaint that landed him in jail three days ago. But yesterday Karina Daniels met his bail although the couple had a stormy relationship.
Regina Mendoza,
“Because he came and do me a noise here on Tuesday and I put him in jail. He came and he slapped me because my daughter was not here and then I put him in jail and they said that she bailed him, I don’t know yesterday, and from that I don’t know what happened. He came to collect where he used to work and the people say that they saw him with her together and I don’t know what happened with them.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Do you believe your brother is involved?”
Regina Mendoza,
“Well I don’t know. I can’t really say because he has a bad temper and if he came out from jail and saw her with another man and maybe, I don’t know.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“When was the last time they were seen together?”
Regina Mendoza,
“I don’t know, neighbours say about 8. I don’t know actually what time they were together, I don’t know. They just came to tell my dad that they were around this neighbourhood last night but when they found the lady she smelt of liquor. Probably they were drinking together and they start fighting. I don’t know.”
In the meantime Orange Walk Police appeal to the public for information.
Insp. Selvin Tillett,
“All cases can be solved if you have patience and we need the public’s cooperation. If those who heard or saw something strange could come forth to the police and we can leave it in confidence but we need the public’s cooperation.”
Area residents say for sometime now they have been appealing to authorities to make their neighbourhood a safer place to live but nothing ahs happened to improve conditions.
Maria Moguel,
“Watch this bus, we don’t have light in this street. The owner of this bush doesn’t make no intention to clean it. I have a granddaughter, my daughter comes late from work. You never know who is there hiding, waiting for you. I think they have to do something. What that post, it has light but watch the grass; it covers the bulb. It is very abandoned.”
Insp. Selvin Tillett,
“It is a heinous crime and we want to take care of it as soon as possible to ensure Orange Walk that we are here to work and keep peace and tranquillity in this town on a whole.”
As we note din the story, police are trying to contact the family of Carina Daniels in the Corozal District. As for Regina Mendoza’s brother- he is also wanted for questioning, but is still at large.
