The first weekend of the September Celebration month wasn't especially violent in the City - but on Sunday morning Orange Walk witnessed a cold and calculated killing.
24-year-old Ramon Espat Jr. was shot almost a dozen times by a man who walked right up to him and opened fire.
Tonight we pick up the story in the aftermath of that remorseless shooting, as two friends tried to save him as his life ebbed away.
These are the desperate moments after Ramon Espat Jr. was riddled with bullets in what seems to have been an execution-style shooting at 12:30 am.
Police are on the hunt for two suspects - one of them a gunman who let off 12 bullets from a 9 millimeter pistol - hitting his target to the back, midsection, arms, legs and head.
Sr. Supt Hilberto Romero, Deputy Commander, National Crimes Investigation
"On Sunday the 4th day of September 2022 police responded to Spicy Bites street in the Aurora area of Orange Walk where they found expended shells and a report came in that someone was shot and taken to the hospital. Police visited the hospital where they found Ramon Espat 2 years with multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Investigations revealed that he was in that area when he was approached by a lone gunman who fired several shots at him causing the injuries. He later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. We are presently seeking two suspects in regard to this investigation."
And at just after noon today Espat's body was released from the morgue and escorted by the family back to Orange Walk for burial.
The investigation surrounding his death is still very live.
Sr. Supt Hilberto Romero, Deputy Commander, National Crimes Investigation
"We are working on a motive at this time. We are seeking these two persons, who we believe can assist in this investigation. We are presently looking for them but we have not been able to find them as yet."
But while those men remain at large there are those who believe that Espat's murder is connected to that of Reynaldo Marchand in May. He was similarly killed while socializing on the street. He was attacked along with a cousin Nazir Vasquez, who survived but sustained 9 gunshots.
Daniel Ortiz:
"Sir is there any information leading investigators to believe that there is a nexus between this murder and any of the previous crimes in Orange Walk?"
Sr. Supt Hilberto Romero
"We are looking at that. We are looking at the background of the suspects as well as the deceased and we will try to see if we can find a connection."
Espat's common law is pregnant with what we are told is his second child. Later on in the news we'll have a late evening interview with that common law.
