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For Alleged Cop Killers Charged In Capital
posted (April 5, 2013)
Today four men - three from Roaring Creek and one from Punta Gorda - were taken to Belmopan Magistrate's Court for the killing of Police Constable Bertchel Ramirez. They are 34 year old Juvencio Herrera, 26 year old Gregory Martinez, 41 year old Elilo Herrera, and 28 year old Steven Garbutt.

Officer Commanding Belmopan ASP Sinquest Martinez - who called the murder an "idiot move" two days ago - told us how police had to reign in their emotions to make sure the prosecution goes smoothly:


ASP Sinquest Martinez - OC, Belmopan Police
"P.C Ramirez went to visit a friend, and that friend had an affair with one of the suspects. And that's what we - from that angle we've start our investigation. Yes, they ambush my officer; they knew he was at that house because the suspects do not live too far from where the crime happened. So, they had seen him go in, and they know that he was there. From what I know, my police officer doesn't have any relationship with any of the suspects, my - the four suspects has been in and out of Belmopan; but 3 of the four suspects have been in and out of Belmopan Police Station, who I've known very well. They are known criminals within this area."

Jules Vasquez
"Is there clear and complete evidence which links these individuals with the crime?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez
"Throughout the entire investigation, I was dialoging with the Director of the Public Prostitutions Office."

Jules Vasquez
"Is it important that you all make sure that this investigation is perfect and airtight so that a conviction can come out of it?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez
"You're perfectly right and people would have expected otherwise or probably would have seen otherwise physically the type of investigation carried out. We went through the entire process so that no kind of allegations can be made about the type of investigation carried out. We went through the entire process so that no kind of allegations can be made. You have the Justice of the Peace who was around; whatsoever we were doing because this cannot slip from me."

Jules Vasquez
"Now I know that whenever a police officer is killed, there is also that emotional factor. Was it hard to - if you all are looking at the people you believed killed your follow officer face to face, was it hard to urge your officers to restrain themselves from doing anything excessive?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez
"Yes, it was very difficult. It was very emotional, but we cannot have emotions overcome the process or the rule of law. We have to let the process take its course, and that's the reason why I don't want to have any kind of glitches when this file goes to the DPP, or when it reaches the court, that they may start from a police brutality complaint or anything else to try to justify for them to walk away."

The four appeared before Senior Magistrate Linsbert Willis and were remanded to prison. The re-appear in court on July 19th...

ASP Sinquest also addressed the issue of the dead dog we told you about last night. The one year odl Pitbull was shot while police were detaining his owner, Edwin Garbutt. Sinquest says no complaint was received:

ASP Sinquest Martinez
"I wasn't aware of the incident until I saw it last night. He didn't come - I know he was detained, he didn't come to my office and made any report, and if I had known, I would have dealt with it."

Jules Vasquez
"Well you know now."

ASP Sinquest Martinez
"Yes, I know now and I can't say much about it."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you feel it was excessive being that the dog appears to have been - according to him, chained up?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez
"I wasn't there so I cannot comment on it."

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