Punta Gorda is a sleepy seaside town, but in the past few years, it's seen more than its share of wars over drug turf - resulting in murders.
And Saturday night appears to have been another when two men were killed at a home on Queen Street in the heart of the town on Saturday night - and it happened a few hundred yards from the town police station. Around 8:00, 28 year old Luis Barillas and 27 year old Derick Arnold were socializing at Barillas' house when they were fired upon by a man who had gone there supposedly to buy marijuana.
But, there's also a twist because one of the victims was briefly a suspect in the disappearance of Alfred Pleil, the missing Canadian man, whose whereabouts still have not been accounted for 3 weeks after his disappearance. We asked ASP Stacy Smith about this.
Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"Preliminary investigation indicate that Arnold and Barrias and other individuals were at the rear of Barrias' residence when a male person is reported to have went to that location and called out for Barrias. Barrias and Arnold proceeded to the front of the residence and that is when they were met with gunfire. Police have since detained three persons in connection with this investigation and we are of the view based on the investigative leads thus far that charges will be forth coming in due course."
Courtney Menzies:
"Are the murders drug related in any way?"
Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"We are exploring several motives, I know that area that Mr Barrias resides, we have conducted anti-drug operations next to it and recovered quite a number of drugs in the past as well as firearms."
Courtney Menzies:
"Was one of the murder victims found in possession with that something that belonged to Alfred Pleil, the missing man?"
Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"I am not aware of that."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you know if those two incidents are related in any way?"
Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"As I would have stated, it is an ongoing investigation, I can say that those persons who have been detained, the investigation does not suggest that ambit but I will say that one of the deceased was in fact a person of interest during the course of the investigation of the Canadian National."
Several of Pleil's belongings have been recovered but so far his whereabouts are still unknown.
9 expended shells were found at Saturday night's murder scene.
