Two murders were reported last night, in less than two hours, and both in the Belize District.
37-year-old Jareth Tablada was the first victim, a resident of the Gungulung area. He left his home to buy Boledo but never returned.
Now, his three kids are left without both their parents in what may have been a land dispute which escalated to murder. Courtney Menzies has the story.
37-year-old Jareth Tablada's aunt had the unfortunate responsibility of telling his elderly grandmother, who recently suffered a stroke, that the man she raised had died.
Tablada was fatally shot last night, at about 6:15, while on his way to a nearby store on Holy Emmanuel Street. When we visited his home, the windows were boarded shut, and his common-law wife was nowhere to be found.
His neighbor, Kevin Castillo, told us that Tablada was with his family just hours before his death. The kids usually spend their days at his grandmother's but went home for the weekend, and that was the last time they would ever see their dad. Castillo explained that Tablada was a humble, helpful man, and he can't think of a reason why someone would want to kill him.
Kevin Castillo, Neighbor
"Like about 6:30 we heard a barrage of bullets, but it actually sound like someone was beating on a zinc, not knowing that it was my next door neighbor who just move here in February couple,months ago. Living over there his kids hang out with him yesterday not knowing that yesterday was the last day that they would see their father and he seeing his kids. We went out yesterday going to the bank to pick up some money, we see the person crouch down on the ground not knowing that it was the guy from across there. I want to know what the man could possibly do anybody for that to happen to the man. He was helpful in the neighborhood. People curse up the man because the man tap into lines that he wasn't supposed to tap into, but the man doesn't go through any problem. He fixes the problem and he lives his life, but besides that I don't know the man as no..."
Tablada's family was also left in shock, and told us off camera that he was not known to be gang affiliated. The Commissioner of Police says that they believe that motive was an ongoing land issue.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Police went to the area and they found the lifeless body of Jareth Tablada with gunshot wound, He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounce dead on arrival. We believe so far that matter has to be a land dispute he had with an individual in that area and so police are following up on that matter."
Castillo confirmed the land issue, and explained that the caretaker of the land sold the property to another man, who in turn sold it to Tablada. The actual owner of the property, though, is a woman who took the ownership dispute to court - and won.
Tablada was expected to vacate the house today- and the cops don't believe the timing of his death is a coincidence.
Tablada's kids are aged 6, 10, and 11.
