All across Belize - after 9:00 pm - communities go quiet - that's because of the curfew. And it's probably even more quiet in Punta Gorda Town with its less than 6 thousand residents.
But, last night at 9:50 that stillness was shattered by the rpeort of gunshots in the Water Supply area of the town.
And when the gun-smoke cleared, two bodies were left strewn across the floor inside the victims' workplace, Flash Cool Spot on Caye street. 46 year old Medardo Canelo and 33 year old Lawrence Canelo were tallying the day's sales when there was a mysterious knock on the door. Not long after, they were dead and two women had been injured.
But what was the motive? The family couldn't think of one. Courtney Menzies travelling south and spoke with them. Here in that story.
Courtney Menzies:
Crime in Punta Gorda Town has been steadily rising and last night, it visited the home of the Canelo Family with unthinkable violence. Two men were shot dead here inside their business place, after curfew hours. But their family says the killers got the wrong guys because this uncle and nephew duo were innocent.
Voice of: Elida Manger, Sister/Niece
"Medardo and Lawrence was so humble and loving and they weren't that type of person to violence. Both of them is loving, friendly, they are playful persons, my uncle and my brother, they are just those person that always have a smile, always happy, into enjoyment, that's them. And take care of their family, that's them."
And they were at 46-year-old Medardo Canelo's establishment, Flash Cool Spot, when the gunman barged in after 10pm. Medardo and his nephew, 33-year-old Lawrence Canelo, had no idea a knock on the door would lead to their deaths. Medardo's common-law wife tried to explain what happened, but she was overcome with grief.
Voice of: Maurelia Ack, Common-Law Wife/Aunt
"I close my place 8 o'clock, the normal time always, I close 8 o clock, after that my husband was chilling inside and when somebody went and knock on the door, then my nephew, which is my husband's nephew opened the door and right there they start shoot at him first then they went to my husband and shoot him, my common-law husband."
Courtney Menzies:
"And you heard the gunshots?"
Voice of: Maurelia Ack, Common-Law Wife/Aunt
"I heard, I thought it was police warning shot but no… I can't say no more."
And police reports say that Maurelia herself was hit when she peeped out her bedroom window to see what was going on.
But perhaps what made it harder on this family was that they weren't able to see the bodies until this afternoon since the murder happened after the 9pm curfew. Lawrence's sister, and Medardo's niece explains:
Voice of: Elida Mangar, Sister/Niece
"Right about now we don't know much, just back and forth right now, waiting for answers. I haven't even gotten to see my brother and my uncle and from morning I want to see them and we're waiting here and we can't see my brother and my uncle as yet."
"It was after 10, we couldn't do anything, we couldn't move it was curfew, until this morning, I was here from after 5 because that's my love, that's my brother. Me and him was close. I do anything for him."
"It's just me and him, I have other brothers and sisters, it's just me and him for my father and my father died and left us two and now he went too."
And now all that's left are candles to mark where their bodies were found - one behind the counter for Medardo and the other a few feet away for Lawrence. And while there are rumors of gang involvement, Manger said that her relatives had no association with any gangs.
Voice of: Elida Mangar, Sister/Niece
"My uncle and my brother is not into gang and they are not known to police as criminals, so that is false news, I guess they just… I don't know. False identity."
"All of them were love, everybody loved Medardo, up to now, if you notice all the comments floating it's pure love, and same with my brother. He have two beautiful daughters and he works for them because he love his daughters so much, he's a hard working person, same thing with Medardo."
Courtney Menzies:
"How many kids Medardo has?"
Voice of: Elida Mangar, Sister/Niece
"Four."
And a friend of Medardo's backed up Mangar's statement. He last saw the victim after 5 yesterday evening. Today he went back to his regular hangout spot to pay respect to the good friend he lost.
Voice of: Mr Garcia, Friend
"I'll be frank, the way how I feel when I got the message last night, man, I just broke down because I am so close to him till some people even think that me, maybe I was here at the establishment here at the time of the shooting. But I wasn't but a good friend of mine gave me a call and said this is what happened to our friend that he passed away by gunshots."
"As far as I'm concerned, the amount of years I'm around them, they're not the kind of guys in gang or trouble. He is the one that come and help people when they come around him. Everywhere you meet him, he will assist where he can assist."
Another woman, 18-year-old Aura Pacham, who is a waitress, was also caught in the rain of gunfire. She was shot once in the breast, and is getting treatment at the hospital. Medardo was shot seven times, and his nephew six.
