The body of 58 year-old laborer Pedro Garcia, a resident of Arenal Village, was found just outside of San Ignacio Town on the Bullet Tree Road. Police observed multiple chop wounds on the face, hands, and neck area. At this time, it appears that he was attacked there and left to die, but at this time, there is no explanation as to why he was viciously chopped. Our news team was in San Ignacio Town today, and Courtney Weatherburne reports:
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Only this blotched patch of grass and twigs remains after yesterday's murder 58 year old Pedro Garcia was killed in this empty lot early yesterday morning and his body was left among these bushes now stained with his blood Garcia's body laid there all day, partially shaded by this. It's only until the early afternoon that his body was found. According to a witness, he takes this shortcut to work every day…But yesterday - his daily route led him to this horrific discovery.
Voice of Witness
"I was coming to work about 2:30pm yesterday evening when walking through here when one person came running frightened saying that he found a dead man. He was trembling. I came and saw the body there chopped up right there."
Garcia was hacked 4 times to the back of the head, the back of his neck was also cut. The palms of his hands were also cut, indicating self-defense.
According to police, Garcia faced his attacker and when he tried to run away, he received the blows to his head and neck.
So far police are still trying to piece together what might have led to his death.
Inspector Reymundo Reyes - Deputy OC, San Ignacio
"The murder was yesterday. At 3pm information was received here at the San Ignacio Town Police Station that a body was found in the area Bishop Martin Primary School and the San Ignacio Town Hospital in an area where they sold lots on the Bullet Tree Road. Police visited the area where on arrival they saw the lifeless body of a Hispanic male person laying in a face up position and a close inspection of the body revealed that it had multiple chops wounds to the back of the head and to his back and both arms."
"The investigation commenced at the scene. We canvassed the area but due to the fact that the area is not a populated area, we were unable to extract or get more information about it. The only thing that we found on the person was a cell phone and based on that we started to contact persons. At this moment police officers are in the village trying to get as much information that they could. Yesterday, the only thing that we obtained is that he was last seen alive on Tuesday at 4pm by one of his family members when he made mention that he was on his way out from the village to Benque Viejo and the clothing that he was found on yesterday is the same clothing that he had on Tuesday. So, how he came out of the village and if he came straight to San Ignacio and he stayed, is something that we are trying to work on - as much information. We are doing interviews in the village by police officers."
Police continue to investigate the crime, but there are no leads to go on currently. Viewers will remember that the village of Arenal is famous for the fact that half of its main football field is in Guatemala and the other half is in Belize.
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