A murder in the quiet Western village of San Jose Succotz has shocked that community, and sent shockwaves of panic through neighbouring Benque Viejo.
Gonzalo Rosado was killed in front of his home, by what are believed to be armed robbers.
Rosado was a man known to be short in stature, but he was a "big man" in his home village; he had worked as the General Manager of the Border Management Agency for more than a decade. After the PUP won, the 54 year old left that post as a political appointment. He said he had retired, to his community where ehe was known as a motorcycle aficionado, and conscientious community member.
But last night, all that came to a crashing end when he was likely lured to his death by a familiar female. Cherisse Halsall went west for answers:
He was fired upon within earshot of his children. And found moments later slumped over his passenger seat having sustained fatal bullet wounds to the lower ear and the jaw.
He driven that car to pick up a woman but had in fact retrieved three passengers, and if the plot had been to rob him, something went seriously wrong.
Luis Guerra, Friend of the deceased
"I was here servicing the brakes on my bike because I changed the brake pads last night. I had just finish doing it. I was about to wash the bike when a friend of mine call me and told me what happened, so I went there and I just couldnt believe it. Just a really heartbreaking situation."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Last night some time around 7:00pm thereabout police were called to the home of Mr. Rosado in Succotz village upon arrival they saw his lifeless body in front of his vehicle parked almost in front of his home, police observed the body to bear what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the neck region. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, our investigation so far is showing that he received a call from a female and he had left home to go and meet that female and shortly thereafter he returned and the vehicle parked in front of his home that is when his neighbors heard what sounded like gunshot and they came out and upon doing so they saw a female and 2 male person jumping out of the vehicle and ran. We believe that it was the same female that he had gone to meet and so we have since detain that female and she is being interviewed with a view to ascertain if in fact she is involved in his murder."
Cherisse Halsall:
"He's another businessman that's killed somewhat like Micheal Esclante, killed in his vehicle."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"There is no evidence to suggest that at this time, no."
And with no emerging pattern to speak of Rosado's murder remains quite an anomaly, especially in his quiet western village.
Luis Guerra, Friend of the deceased
"Just yesterday I spoke to him we made the plans right that this morning we were gonna leave here at 7 and then come back late this afternoon, this evening, so I know that if there is life out there after death I'm sure that he rode there with me. We would go on rides sometimes unplanned, sometimes we planned it and just yesterday we were sharing memories that just yesterday, last year, we were in Tulum, and then Cancun, we took a ride there last year."
"We already had plans like I said. So I still went ahead and took the ride today and on the way there I was thinking that now if he would be ahead or he would be behind. We would always race on the road and stop and drink a couple beers, well today I didn't I just went and came back and well such is life."
Two male suspects wanted in connection with Rosado's murder remain at large.
