Email

Print

The first report came this morning at around 9:00, when police were called out to the Henderson Bank area in Burrell Boom to retrieve a dead body from the river. 7news spoke to eyewitnesses from the area.

Abel Guttierrez - Working In Area Where Body Found
"Two police officers came so I came to investigate what they came down here to do so he told me that they found a dead body up the river and the boat passed and went to get it so a little while after the boat came down towing the body in the river"

Jules Vasquez
"And how did it appear Sir?'

Abel Guttierrez
"The body was properly decomposed, one of his hands was missing and one of his feet. In his face, you could not recognize the person, whoever he was"

Jules Vasquez
"Okay, from your knowledge of people along this river, has any of your neighbors or any one you know around here been missing or anything like that?"

Abel Guttierrez
"No, I haven't heard anything like that. I think this happened further up the river, probably up, maybe by St. James Boom or somewhere up in that area there because it started floating down"

Joyce Tillett - Henderson Bank Property Owner
"Well, really, I didn't see but just the police told me that man did not have a face because I was asking her if he was of Spanish descent or whatever because I was thinking that we have a lot of 'aliens' in the country so it could be anybody."

From there, the body was taken to a deserted location along the Boom - Hattieville Road, where a post mortem had to conducted followed by an immediate burial – due to the advanced state of decomposition. During that post mortem, it was confirmed that the body was of one Ellis Dawson, a 37 year old of Sandhill. The post mortem showed that he had been stabbed over twenty times. His missing arm and leg were likely due to crocodiles in the river. Daniel Ortiz spoke to his devastated family today:…

Sister of deceased
"Well the last time I saw him it was Friday and he was happy, he wasn't drinking; he had an orange juice in his hand and I asked him if it was only orange juice and he said yes with a smile. That was the last time I saw him; we only talked for a brief second"

Daniel Ortiz
"Okay so when did you guys decided that it was strange that he didn't show up?"

Sister
"Sunday morning because he is someone that when he goes out, even if he is drunk or not he loves to shower. He will make sure he comes home first thing in the morning to take his shower and Sunday he didn't come and we realized that something was wrong with him. My brother was a very jovial person, very helpful; he would help anyone in this village; whatever you ask him to do, he is right there willing to help you. He loves his nieces; he is a loving person; he love all his sisters and brother, he always talks about them - his Mom, his step father but the brother that I know; he is a very loving and friendly person"

Daniel Ortiz
"How is the family taking it, that he had to be buried so quickly and you guys did not get to say any farewell?"

Sister
"Well it is really sad because, I mean, we didn't even get to the chance to say good bye to him or see how he looked for the last so my Mom is taking it really hard and also the entire family"

On Friday, May 31, he would have celebrated his 38th birthday.

At this time police have no suspects but are treating it as a homicide investigation.