Two naturalized Belizeans were brutally murdered in Cristo Rey Village over the weekend. Michael and Donna Hill were Americans who came to Belize over a decade ago and made Cristo Rey Village in the Cayo District their home. They were real estate dealers, who were based in Cayo where the community had embraced them. But on Saturday all that ended when they were killed and robbed near their home in Cristo Rey. The couple became the fifth and sixth persons to be killed in a week of terror in the Cayo District. Jacqueline Godwin went looking for answers.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Michael and Donna Hill are two U.S. Nationals who became naturalized Belizeans. Since moving to Belize in 1990, the couple started investing in Cristo Rey Village where they operated a real estate business called Bird Walk Realty. And it did not take long before the two real estate agents also became well known for the assistance they gave to school children in the community. On Sunday villagers awoke to the sad and tragic news that the couple had been murdered.

The double homicide occurred sometime on Saturday but it was not until Sunday when the bodies of Michael and Donna Hill were discovered. It is reported that a family friend had come to visit the Hills when he became alarmed at what he saw.

Estevan Juarez, Family Acquaintance
“He came to visit the Hills and he mi di hail out and when he gaan upstairs he find deh neva mi deh deh and a pool of blood and a towel mi deh deh when he reached upstairs. He mi get frighten and he gaan.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
When he came by the residence did he notice that the front door was opened?

Estevan Juarez,
“Yes the front door was open.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Where were the dogs?

Estevan Juarez,
“In the office locked up.”

Sgt Enrique Aldana, Lead Investigator
“At 10:15 am police received information that both persons were missing. So they visited the residence of both persons, which is this area, where upon entering the house they saw the house ransacked and some red stains resembling blood were seen in the house along with some transparent tape.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
What does that tell you guys?

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“Well that tells us that they were tortured inside the place and after that they were taken outside. Apparently a robbery had taken place.”

A search of the area led Police and BDF to a location two hundred yards behind the property. The bodies were found in high grass that had been trampled only a few feet apart. Michael’s hands had been tied behind his back.

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“The body of Miss Donna had a gunshot wound to her face on the left hand side while Mr. Hill had a gunshot wound behind his left ear.”

Reports are that Donna Hill was shot below her left eye. At the crime scene and in the spot where her body was found we came upon the broken left lens of her sunglasses that she was wearing at the time she was killed.

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“We cannot say if there were acquainted with the area at this point in time because the crime might have occurred during daylight. So the area was visible enough.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Well I know what we saw at the crime scene was a part of Mrs. Hills’ sunglasses which could probably indicate that the crime occurred during the day because why would she use her sunglasses at night noh?

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“That is what we are watching also. We had that same idea.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
We noticed that Michael Hill’s vehicle is parked to the rear of the compound but what we also notice is that it is reversed and it is still in reverse. Is that of any significance to this investigation? Do you believe that vehicle may have been used in anyway in connection with this crime?

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“I believe that the robbers, that they drove that vehicle behind that house because what we understand is that it is not the norm for them to take their vehicle inside the yard.”

Michael Hill’s vehicle parked at the rear of the compound and the bodies found in an isolated area of the property indicate that the killer or killers did not want to raise any immediate alarm.

Jacqueline Godwin,
Have the police been able to ascertain what was taken from them?

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“What we ascertain at this point in time is that a 20 gauge shotgun missing, which is a licensed firearm belonging to both deceased and a 2004 Toyota Hilux, gold in color with license plates CYC21637. That is what is missing at this point in time.”

The missing gold colour Hilux is the property of Donna Hill. The couple’s computers are also missing. The Hills were also reportedly killed with their own shotgun – which is also missing. Inside the home police found only the weapon’s casing. Lead investigator Sergeant Enrique Aldana says at this time they cannot say if the murder is an isolated case or if it is connected to the recent bandit killings and attacks or just how many persons may have been involved.

Sgt Enrique Aldana,
“Well I cannot say at this point in time because what we have is that leads are coming in but we are following all of them, step to step and at this point in time we cannot say.”

Those who knew the couple are left in shock, disbelief and scared for their own lives.

Sarah Strand, Neighbour
“I was very shock. We heard it on the news and God I felt sorry. I felt like crying because long time I have known her because we used to travel with her to town, she gave us rides. She never told us no, she always helped the village people. She was a nice person to everyone.”

Icela Tzib, Neighbour
“Well I am very worried. It is only me and my dog that lives here and well it is two of us, my sister and I, but we shift like jobs and she is up there and I am down here and it is just me and him. I am very concerned because anything can happen to us too.”

Sarah Strand,
“We are very scared because we live back here and we feel insecure.”

Doroteo Tzib, Neighbour
“Well I get frightened because we don’t use to have things like that between us. That is why we get frightened.”

Olivia Guerra is one of the mothers whose child Donna Hill helped with her education.

Jacqueline Godwin,
Your daughter was one of those students who benefited from here. How did she help your daughter?

Olivia Guerra, Family Friend
“Well only paying the school fees. Only the school fees because like how I am a single mother and I noh have nobody with me, I am not living with nobody, I just staying with my brother and then I went to talk to her and then she tell me…I asked her if she could help me and she said yes because like how we used to work together, like I told you, we met at Duuploy’s and we became friends. But all of a sudden I stopped and then I don’t know if she still continued working there but I went apart and then one day I went to San Ignacio and I met her and when I met her, it was right here in the village. She was passing in her pickup and then she looked at me and then she stopped and called me and then when my daughter was supposed to start college I went to her and then like I told you she used to pay towards another little boy before my daughter because my daughter got scholarship but the one who gave her the scholarship didn’t pay the rest of the fees so I went to her and she told me that she would pay it so she paid all of the fees.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you believe it is somebody that they knew who did this to them?

Estevan Juarez,
“I think think dah somebody who they knew.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Why?

Estevan Juarez,
“Maybe dah wah old worker or somebody.”

Giovanni Montalban, Chairman - Cristo Rey Village
“This was something that was planned already, maybe some body, but as far as I know, it is not a person from this village or somebody else. I think it is somebody who came from outside or somebody else that might have a problem already with the man or…we don’t know exactly what happened at this moment because it is very complicated to think something like that could just happen right away. You know if you have been threatened already, more or less you would know by whom you’ve been threatened, but we didn’t know nothing that was going on with those people.”

Cayo Police have detained several persons for questioning including the person who first notified them but he is expected to be released from custody. Jacqueline Godwin for 7NEWS.

On her web page Donna Hill wrote that she was originally from Colorado and that she had been living in Belize since 1990.

In related news Cayo police report that there has still been no arrest in the double homicide of Calla Creek farmer Angel Xis and his eighteen year old son Marco Tulio Xis. The father and son were killed last Thursday morning by armed bandits who ambushed them about one mile outside of Bullet Tree Village. 7NEWS has received reports that Guatemalan authorities have detained one person in Melchor in connection to the hold up and murders.