Sergeant Julio Shal, the second in command at Placencia Police is currently on remand for murder in relation to Tyson Rodriguez's death, and while police conduct 2 investigations into the matter, his family is also doing their independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. That's because as we've told you, Shal and the 2 officers who were with him on the Friday night of November 22, when Rodriguez died, told their bosses that when he supposedly drowned, they didn't see, because he escaped from a moving truck with his hands cuffed behind his back and ran into a bushy area. The post mortem, as we've shown you, says that he died from sand inhalation of sand and he suffered abuse sometime before his death.
An eyewitness has brought written testimony which complete refutes the officers' claims and it implicates Shal only.
Well, on Wednesday, Hilda Rodriguez, Tyson's mother, went with her attorney, Audrey Matura to the location where he met his end, and they told the media that more information in the police officers' statement simply does not add up:
Hilda Rodriguez, Mother of Tyson Rodriguez
"We are trying to trace the last steps of Tyson Rodriguez's life. This is where he probably drew his last breath and I just wanted to say that on behalf of myself and my family if he wrongs anyone in anyway, I deeply apologized. That was not the way I raised him. I would have never wanted him to hurt anyone. At the same time his life was taken and so we are here trying to search fro the truth and find justice."
Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney
"What I would add is that the police report and the different information coming out gave the indication as though he escaped from this vehicle, jumped out and ran through this area near in Chable Mar and the about 20 minutes later I am told the police found him dead and that the reason they didn't pursue him was because there was swamp in the area. We came to see for ourselves; absolutely no swamp in the area. In some areas the soil is actually high and we can see its all sand right here and then there is the beach."
"Definitely there is a lot of inconsistency with what they were saying. Also there is a theory that a police officer told us that he could have fallen on his face on his own and therefore suffocated on his own without anyone pressing him. He said that the sand is so deep and
soft that once your face drop in it you can't come out. Again, we tested that theory. Impossible and the sand here is not even that deep. The natural instinct would be that someone would try and pushed themselves out or whatever. That still does not explain the extent of sand in his system. It does not explain the extent and beating and bruising on him that eventually caused and contributed to his death. At this point we are definitely sure that the accounts of the police cannot be right, one and two: we are a bit concern that coincidentally the body would be found just in this area, just off the little road; the one little road that leads into the area. That more speaks to that the police driving in, bringing him here, beating him and killing him and leaving him here, spinning around and then coming back and say that we found this man because these people say that they found a dead man. It's just like totally inconsistent. But we will leave the police to do their work, but people need to know that if they visited the area themself, they will see that - common sense - it's just inconsistent."
So, it is a huge black eye for Placencia police because one of their commanding officers, none other than the second command, is being accused of extra-judicial activities when he supposedly ended Tyson Rodriguez's life. As we've told this is not the first time that he's been accused of abuse of authority. So, what does his commanding officer have to say about his character? Well, he was very cagey about that when he was asked about it, saying that he would not want to prejudice the double internal investigations on Shal:
Reporter
"Is he being charged with the murder of Rodriguez and could you tell me more the background of Mr. Shal? We understand that he was second in command."
Inspector Mark Flowers - OC, Placencia Police
"He was the sergeant, the next person in command here."
Reporter
"Have you ever known him to be of short tempered because that might presume that that might had been a factor in him using excessive force on Mr. Rodriguez."
Inspector Mark Flowers - OC, Placencia Police
"I can't sit here and either assassinate Mr. Shal's character or in any way attempt discuss a person's character, not even in the court of law could I do that, unless I am being ask to become a character witness. I know Shal for a number of years and I don't know him to be anybody of that sort. I know him to be a humble little fellow that I know. But to elaborate I really can't. It's not fair to him, or to me or to anybody to do that."
A topic that he was more willing to discuss was the investigation in the home invasion of the Canadian couple. As we told you, Tyson Rodriguez was the main suspect in that crime, and he was allegedly spotted in the couple's stolen vehicle which ended all the way in the Corozal District. Well, on Wednesday, Placencia's Commanding Officer told the media that there is no doubt in the mind of the victims, Tyson Rodriguez was one of the 3 men who attacked them, and inflicted extreme violence on Elderly woman:
Reporter
"Did they point out Mr. Rodriguez as being the culprit?"
Inspector Mark Flowers - OC, Placencia Police
"They have. He had been positively identified by the way if statements as the main perpetrator; the person who actually and physically assaulted the woman. He is the person who is responsible according to her. She saw him and she was overly emotional when she saw the picture. She immediately recognized him as being the person who inflicted those savage beating to her."
Reporter
"How about the other 2 suspects?"
Inspector Mark Flowers - OC, Placencia Police
"The other two suspects we know who they are. One of them was identified in a similar fashion and the third one, we are depending on fingerprint analysis. We know who they are and we are waiting their return from Canada. They have gone to seek medical attention which is urgent; surgery and that sort of thing. As soon as they come back we will lay charges."
Reporter
"Will you be able to tell us what were their reactions in regards to the arrest of the other culprit?"
Inspector Mark Flowers - OC, Placencia Police
"They are not here. They are in Canada. They had to go immediately because of the wound to her eye. She was advised that the sooner she gets to a doctor the quicker she will be relieved of the pain. She has lost hearing in one of her ears. She was beaten until one of her eardrum was damaged. It was urgent that they go for medical treatment."
According to Inspector Mark Flowers, the expatriate communities living on the peninsula have initiated a closer relationship with Placencia Police. They have started a tighter community watch, and they've also started citizen patrols with the Placencia police officers.
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