A taxi driver was murdered last night in Santa Elena Town. But 30 year old Mario Chi wasn’t shot in a robbery attempt, he was killed inside his home and his family believes his shooting death was a clearly planned and executed hit with jealousy as the motive. Keith Swift has the details.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This afternoon Anna Uk wept inconsolably as she returned to her home on New Heaven street for the first time since last night’s murder of her boyfriend 30 year old Mario Chi. He was killed inside the house. He and his family were around the dinner table. In fact the flour tortillas on the table were what they ate last night. The game of checkers is the game they were playing when an armed assassin entered at 7:45 and shot Mario Chi at point blank range.
Marvin Mejia, Son in Law of Murder Victim
“We were having supper. We finished supper and then we started to play checkers and we were just there and the man just entered the house and
saw Mario Chi and point to him with both hands and shot him. I just ran to the room, my brothers stayed shock, and then the man wanted to shot my too but she ran to the room and then when we went outside again the man was already gone.”
Chi had been shot in his right shoulder. He was still alive when he was rushed to the San Ignacio Town Hospital but he later died.
Insp. Dinsdale Thompson, San Ignacio Police
“A slim body individual, short, probably about 5’ 2”, brown skinned with his head covered with what appears to be a white t-shirt, went into the home and with a firearm in his hand and he was the one who fired a shot which eventually caused Mr. Chi to die. So our investigation is following or moving in that area at this moment.”
Keith Swift,
“Do you know what might have been the motive?”
Insp. Dinsdale Thompson,
“Well so far we have definitely ruled out burglary. Nothing was stolen. We have people who have said that they saw a white car in the area, we are following up all those leaders however we haven’t made an arrest.”
With burglary and robbery eliminated as possible motives, the family of Mario Chi believes that the murder might have been as a result of jealousy. That is because just one day before the murder on Saturday, Mario Chi and Anna Uk received a death threat from one of her ex-boyfriends.
Keith Swift,
“So you don’t believe this was a random crime?”
Marvin Mejia,
“It was something that was planned or I don’t how it happened
but my father called me to advised me that something will happen because of the situation.”
And that situation is that two months ago Anna Uk left her husband and she along with three sons moved into this house on New Heaven Street in Santa Elena with Mario chi.
Marvin Mejia,
“My next stepfather and my mom were in the process of divorce. Well like three months ago she knew, she knew this man Mario. Mario treats her good because we were alone and Mario came and he started to get involved with my mom and they start a relationship and then my father, every time he called. The last call he made was that why we don’t tell him about the situation, that she was getting involved with a next man and he told me what you do in this world you have to pay for it.”
Keith Swift,
“They said they got a threatening phone call the day before.”
Insp. Dinsdale Thompson,
“Well we haven’t had any evidence and any such news. However every lead that there is we are following up. We do know that she yes indeed is not living with her husband but there is no evidence at this moment saying that anyone of such, her husband, has set up anything. We don’t have that at this moment.”
And as she wept over the blood stained tiles in the home she and Mario Chi were supposed to share together Anna Elizabeth Uk made a plea for justice.
Anna Elizabeth Uk, Girlfriend of Deceased
“She wants justice….just to make justice. The only thing she wants is for the police to find who did it.”
Marvin Mejia who is the oldest of Uk’s children says the murder has torn his family apart.
Marvin Mejia,
“My two brothers are shocked, they are crying. My mom can’t stop crying because he was a very good man to her. My next father, my other stepfather, was cruel with her so she decided to get with Mario because he was a good person to her. So that is how she get involved with him.”
Reporting for 7News, Keith Swift.
Police say they have two suspects detained who they believe can assist in their investigations.
