On last Friday’s newscast we told you about Valerie Coombs, the
mother of slain Belizean American Businessman Jason Coombs. Coombs was executed
at his business in November and no one has been arrested. Somewhat similar to
Yolanda Schackron who’s been using the media in Belize to bring pressure
on police to make an arrest in the killing of her nephew Chris Galvez, Valerie
Coombs – who is a US citizen and south Florida resident has enlisted the
media in her country to put pressure on Belize police either directly or through
the State Department – which has assistance programmes with Belize’s
Ministry of National Security. We’ve already showed the story that ran
on the ABC affiliate in Palm Beach last week – and tonight we have the
story from the NBC affiliate WPTV. Here’s the report from Eric Glasser.
[ABC Report]
Valerie Coombs, Mother
“I don’t know what else to do. I don’t know where else
to turn.”
Valerie Coombs has wept everyday for the past three months, grieving
for her son Jason. The 38 year old was murdered in Belize where he moved after
graduating from FAU in Boca Raton. Jason had started a cement company called
Pre Con Limited. But on November 11th police say a car drove onto the company’s
property and someone in that car shot Jason to death.
Valerie Coombs,
“I went to the morgue and I saw my son’s body riddled with bullets.
That is how I said my goodbye.”
Investigators quickly located the car involved in Jason’s death
and when Valerie travelled to Belize, detectives told her that has spoken to
witnesses and had identified suspects but three months later there have been
no arrests and now Valerie accuses police in Belize of incompetence and perhaps
even corruption. Jason’s case she feels has been placed on the backburner.
Jules Vasquez with Belize TV 7 has been following the case.
Jules Vasquez,
“I think the investigation has been completely ineffectual and I think
that the department in many ways is overwhelmed.”
Jason was also US citizen so family members have begged investigators
to let the FBI look at the case, a request Belize authorities have repeatedly
denied.”
David Coombs, Brother
“These are resources at their fingertips, why not use them.”
The Coombs family says Jason’s business is located at the country’s
main port, the very same port that is visited by US cruise tourists on an almost
daily basis. They are concerned about the growing rate of violence there. She
wants the men who killed her son taken off the streets before anyone else has
to feel her pain.
Valerie Coombs,
“I am not the only mother that is hurting. When is it going to stop.
When?”
And that’s not the end of it. Coombs says she will continue with
her campaign in the media and she has enlisted her State Senator to communicate
the family’s displeasure to the State Department.
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