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92nd Murder For The Year
posted (August 15, 2012)
There has been another murder - this one in Orange Walk Town. By our count, it is the ninety second (92nd.) murder for the year - and like so many that have come before it, this one is inexplicable.

As Monica Bodden found out, a cattle truck driver from Toledo was killed as he slept in his broken down vehicle.

Here's her story:

Monica Bodden Reporting

It was inside this cattle truck - that 33 year old truck driver Fernando Quib was shot three times while asleep.

The incident happened in this quiet residential area on Nargusta Street in Orange Walk Town. Neighbors say, they heard when the 3 gunshots rang out around 2:45 this morning - but no one saw anything.

Miguel Pren - Neighborhood Mechanic
"Early this morning at around 2:30 - 3 o'clock this morning, we heard 3 gunshots. That's what I heard. I sleep right there. That's my house. I have a window here and I have a window this side. So, I came out from my bed, and I looked at the truck. It looked normal, so I went from my garage inside. I thought maybe they were breaking into my garage, but I didn't see anything so. After that, at about 15 minutes later, I went back to sleep again. When I got up this morning at around 5, I saw police around this area. I thought that they were arresting the man or something like that. So, I got frightened. I came out to see what happened. And the police told me that something happened to that man right here. He was shot. I saw clearly that he was shot. I didn't expect it. Even yesterday, the man was right here working, but I don't know how to tell how things change and happened so fast."

It was a neighbor who alerted police about the shots she heard in the area.

When police arrived on the scene this morning, they found 33 year old Fernando Quib suffering from 3 gunshot wounds - one to the chest, rib cage and stomach.

While Quib slept on the front seat of his truck - he was attacked from through the front passenger side window. The shattered glass from the bullets impact - are still scattered on the seat and ground.

But what really happened this morning, and why would someone want to murder this hard working truck driving who had travelled all the way from San Vicente village in the Toledo district?

Many are speculating that it may have been a robbery - since Quib frequents the town on business trips to purchase cattle and pigs and transport it back to Toledo.

According to neighbors, Quib never slept inside his truck -but yesterday when he arrived in Orange Walk Town around 4 that evening, he began experiencing problems with his truck's brakes and so his took it to his mechanic.

Miguel Pren - Neighborhood Mechanic
"He came here at around 4 o'clock yesterday evening to repair the brakes. He had problems with the brakes on the truck. So, after 5 everything closed. So, we decided to leave it for the next morning, fixing it early, and then he could go about his business of buy cattle and pigs. He would then take them somewhere in PG. He decided to sleep right here, but usually, he doesn't sleep in the truck. They usually sleep in the hotel. I don't know why he decided to do that."

Monica Bodden
So, from yesterday when he came, he parked in front of your mechanic shop from 4, and he didn't leave to go anywhere?"

Miguel Pren
"No, he couldn't go anywhere. He had to wait until this morning. We couldn't do anything. I think that they only had money for the fuel, because they already bought everything. I was told that he already bought the pigs and cattle. He supposedly only had money for the fuel to travel, but I can't tell you how much money."

And for this quiet neighborhood, they are still left in shock at what happened to 33 year old Fernando Quib.

Miguel Pren
"Everbody is shocked in this area. Even my daughter was crying this morning. Yesterday, my daughter was passing by, and greeted her. They talked right here. So my daughter was shocked this morning. To be the first time, we can't say what happened. I think that Orange Walk is getting worse every day."

Monica Bodden
"Was he a very friendly person?"

Miguel Pren
"He is very friendly. He is a nice person. He is a quiet person. When you speak to him, he doesn't seem to like to talk much."

No one has been arrested. Investigators believe he was robbed.

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