And now we turn our attention to the grim news of the holiday weekend murders, three of them in total - all in the Belize District.
We start in San Pedro where a 28 year old mother was found dead on the edge of the town dump. MARISELA GONZALEZ was semi-nude and had a gunshot wound to the body.
And, tonight police have her husband detained. The head of CIB, Eastern Division told us more today:
Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division
"The caretaker of the dumpsite was exiting from the area when he tumbled down over a female body that was seen motionless. Police responded to the area where they observed a female to have a gunshot injury to the body. She was later identified as Marisela Gonzalez, a twenty-eight-year-old Belizean. She was last seen alive earlier in the night whilst in the company of her husband. Police have since conducted an investigation and I can tell you that at this present moment, the husband is in police custody being interviewed."
Reporter
"Sir, did the husband at any point make a report to say that she was missing?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"There was an initial report that was made to an officer and based on that information which we obtained from him, we did a follow up which led us to where the body was located."
Reporter
"In terms of the gunshot injuries, does the husband or anyone close to her has a weapon that would match? Are you able to say?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"Well the husband is the owner of a firearm, a licensed holder. We suspect the possibility that it might be that firearm that was used."
Reporter
"Any idea why Miss Marisela is dead today sir?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"Well that is something that we are trying to ascertain from the husband, who is being interviewed at this time."
Reporter
"The husband is detained. Are you able to say if he is the prime suspect in what transpired?"
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"Based on our investigations we believe that he might be one of the persons as police also conducted an investigation and made checks at the residence and on a vehicle where possible blood trails are observed. Hence the reason he was detained."
Reporter
"You said residence."
Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"Possibility we believe that actually the incident took place at the residence and they use the vehicle to transport her to where she was found."
The couple shared a child. We are told one other person is detained along with him. We'll keep following those case closely for an arrest.
Notably, this is San Pedro's first murder since June of 2019 - the end of an almost 16 month respite from killings.
