On Saturday night, a teenager was killed at the Belize - Guatemala border. It happened on the banks of the Mopan River which runs along the border with Guatemala.
16 year old Esvin Ernesto Reyes was along with his parents - Guatemalans living in Benque - and they were going to Melchor - through the back - as many do on an everyday basis.
But, he never made it; the family was held up by some border bandits who wanted money and when the teenager said that he didn't have any, he was killed.
It is a ruthless murder and Monica Bodden tried to find out more about it today:..
Monica Bodden reporting
The family of 16 year old Esvin Reyes - lives only a stone's throw away from the Belize Guatemala Border - We'd say less than a 3 minute drive.
But because of not having the proper documentations to cross the border - the family usually travels along the riverside and then crosses over by canoe to the Guatemalan side - which is Melchor.
Teresa Reyes - Mother
"Whenever we go to Melchor, since we don't have papers to cross the border, we go through the back beside the river. We walk along the river bank till we reach Melchor. There is no policeman there so we travel through the back."
On Saturday morning 16 year old Esvin Reyes along with his parents set out on their normal routine.
Around 7am, they left their home and walked down to the Mopan river bank - that is located directly behind their back yard -
and began heading towards the border line between Guatemala and Belize.
But before even reaching their destination, they were held up by two armed masked men - who were dressed in full black and armed with 9mm pistols. They demanded money from the Reyes family.
Teresa Reyes - Mother
"I was going to Melchor to visit one of my daughters living there and upon reaching close to the river some assailants came out from the bush."
"The assailants asked us for money. They said give me the money or I will kill you. My son said he didn't have any money and when he turn to go back, the assailant shoot him in the back."
The 16 year old boy was shot to the back. The bullet exited through his heart. He died on the spot.
His father, Estevan Reyes told Benque police, that when the men asked for money, he told them that he did not have any, and one of the men then responded by saying, whether you have money or not you will die.
Estevan said he told his wife and son to run back, that was when one of the men armed with a 9 mm pistol fired a shot hitting his son in mid-section of his back.
Teresa Reyes - Mother
"When my son dropped the men ran away. I told my husband to go and call the police. My husband went to Benque to call the police. I stayed there, and then the assailants came back. Maybe their intentions were to throw him in the river. But I shouted at them. I told them I had called the police. And then we heard some noise that the police were coming so they cross the river and went over Melchor."
Police are working with their counterparts in Melchor to assist in the investigation.
Email
Print