7 News Belize

Police Investigate Crazy Killing In Teakettle
posted (October 2, 2013)
As we told you last night, the western corridor got another dose of bad news when a killing was reported in Teakettle, that's after killings were reported in Roaring Creek and Camalote on Saturday and Monday.

The Teakettle situation is not that simple though. A farmer in an area way behind Teakettle says he killed Ruben Andrado because he caught him stealing green peppers in his farm. He says after this Andrado threatened him with a machete - and he shot and killed him. And, after this the farmer did the unthinkable, he allegedly burned Andrado's remains and buried it! It's a very crazy story - and to make it worse, the farmer did one more thing: when police went to search his farm, he fired at four of them. Officer commanding Belmopan Sinquest Martinez told us more:...

ASP Sinquest Martinez - OC, Belmopan Police
"A report was made. I sent my officers out there to have an investigation into the matter in the Roaring/Springfield Area, it's my area, I have full responsibility. Unfortunately my officers were fired upon. We retaliate and we have several persons in custody."

Jules Vasquez
"My understanding is that the apprehended person who is the property owner has said that in fact he killed the missing person and he did it in self-defense of his property because the person was a thief and had approach him with a machete."

ASP Sinquest Martinez - OC, Belmopan Police
"That investigation is still going on. There are several other things that we have discovered apart from what you have mentioned and there are other things that we are looking upon likewise."

Jules Vasquez
"Is it your belief that the missing person - that he has been killed or he is dead?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez - OC, Belmopan Police
"I cannot say at this present moment. That is not my field. I am an investigator and when it is confirmed then I could say that Ruben Andrado who has been reported missing is dead. But at this present moment I cannot say he is dead."

Jules Vasquez
"I understand that you all have been shown a certain burnt area where there are what appear to be shards of bones which may or may not be human bones. Is that something you all are looking at in your investigation that the burnt remnants of bones in an area near his farm?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez - OC, Belmopan Police
"Most naturally, we got to look at that. Its a part of the investigation."

Jules Vasquez
"Might we be facing a case where the body of a deceased person was burnt?"

ASP Sinquest Martinez - OC, Belmopan Police
"The only persons who can answer that are the people from forensics. Whenever they confirm then I could say that."

This afternoon, police along with the forensic team took the suspect to a large farm in the Springfield area way behind Teakettle to dig up for the remains. They found four teeth, the piece of a skull, ribs, a piece of a leg bone and other shards of bone. He seems to have burned the body on a milpa and then threw dirt on it. A post mortem, the best that could be done was done on site. That ugly scene is where Andrado's daughter spoke to the media. She appeared off camera and we have this audio interview courtesy PLUS TV.

Reporter
"What you understand has happened?"

Daughter of Deceased
"What I understand happen is that he was in the mountains doing his job, getting his contribo as always and came across this man who didn't want any trespassers, but everyone passed through here. He wasn't doing anything wrong. He did something wrong and we just found out this morning what happened and we weren't sure if it is true or it's just a rumor but its real."

Reporter
"What is it that they are saying happened to him?"

Daughter of Deceased
"He got shot. That man shot him but we don't know his name yet but I saw him just now. He shot my father and he burned him for 3 days on until his remains were ashes. He is a cold blooded killer. He doesn't have mercy on anybody and we shouldn't have mercy on him. What he did is beyond terrible. He was a human being as well."

Reporter
"We understand that of course there was a shootout between police and this person on Sunday. Did you understand that as well?"

Daughter of Deceased
"The police came here and the people were just shooting at the officers. This is another clue for them to say that these people are not good people. We have to try get rid of them - send them to jail or something, so that they are not here among our people doing bad stuff."

Reporter
"You are saying that for 13 years you dad was around here and getting his contribo etc. But there are reporting that your dad waa actually stealing peppers, vegetation from here, from this man's property and so he took matters into his own hands. Was your dad actually doing that for these past 13 years?"

Daughter of Deceased
"The guy said that it was $4,000 in stuff. There is no way that he could do that. This is just something that he wants to cover up what he did. All the tour guides from the ATM caves they took my father load home. From here my father used to go there and wait for them, so they saw everything my father took. We have proof from all the tour guides from the ATM Caves. He use to sell them contribo. This is just a cover up."

The DPP still has not advised on what charges can be brought.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize