7 News Belize

Cab Driver Leslie Roland Found Murdered In his Own Vat, Nephew Detained
posted (February 18, 2014)
Last night on the news we told you about Leslie Roland, the 61-year-old taxi driver we'd been missing for at least six days. His car was found abandoned yesterday morning, and his family panicked. Well, two hours after the news we learned that he had been found dead - in the concrete vat in his own yard on Guerrero Street in the Port Loyola area. Our news team responded last night, and here's what we found:...

Daniel Ortiz reporting
Steven Rowland, his family, and the neighbors on Guerrero St. waited around for the police to process the scene at the Rowland Family house. Apparently, the stench of rot and scavenger birds signaled that there was decomposing flesh nearby . Further inspection by persons in the area revealed that a body was inside the cement vat.

Given the fact that Lester Rowland is still missing, his vehicle was recovered last night, and the fact that he lived here, has led everyone to strongly suspect that the body in the vat is Rowland, who has been missing for some days now.

Steve Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"Police had informed me after searching my brother's house that they observed a body inside a vat which is adjacent to the family house. They are in the process right about now trying to remove that body from the vat, so we can identify the person that is in there. It is very significant because I was here when my mother and my father got this land and I was here when the house was built and when my father died, it just passed down and left in my brother's hand, so it's very significant."

Police spent an hour last night, trying to retrieve the body, but in the end, they decided that they would have more success in the morning.

Officers stood watch over the vat for the entire night, and this morning, We found officers on the scene early this morning, still standing guard over the body.

The scenes of crime team the entire day trying to remove the body. For the Rowland family, the dread is tormenting.

Steven Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"It's not a good feeling, you've seen it, we all seen it from time to time on the television on the evening news and we see it happening time and time again and you never know yes, it's going to reach you at your level. It's not easy and with dealing it and it's not something that you wish to happen to anybody but it's a reality of life and I guess we got to deal with it. It's like the whole world turned upside down. We have a lot of conflicting story in relation to that. I have a brother who says that he had last seen him since last week Wednesday and then my mom says that she last heard from him on the 6th of this month. I going to pin my brother to his word and say possibly early last week."

That waiting went on all day - with police continuously looking in on the body. But they couldn't do anything until Forensic Pathologist Dr. Mario Estradabran returned to Belize from out district at around 4:00 pm. He had to conduct an on-site post mortem and for that, the vat had to be torn down. Heavy equipment was rolled into the yard, and within a few minutes the backhoe had cratered out one side of the vat. Inside, police found mostly skeletal remains - which had to be taken immediately for burial. We spoke to brother Steve Roland again one hour ago about what he saw -and what they know so far:...

Steven Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"It's something that I wish I don't have to see again. I saw the remains of my brother, I am certain that its him and I am certain now that the family can bring closure because we are leaving from here now and taking straight to Sand Hill for burial."

Superintendent Alden Dawson, Officer Commanding Police Precinct 1
"Because of the badly state of decomposition the doctor is still undetermined as the cause of death."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, he has obviously been in there for some time for over a week most likely."

Steven Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"More, at least 2 weeks plus from what was told to me."

Jules Vasquez
"I know they took your nephew, I saw them take him this morning. What is the situation with that?"

Steven Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"My understanding is that they are investigating the matter and from what I was told I think they say that he made a confession to the effect that he had some dealings to do with it and its very absurd for a nephew as I was told by the police for you to kill your own uncle, very absurd."

Jules Vasquez
"Unthinkable really, and to put him in a vat on his own property..."

Steven Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"Like I said the investigation by the police is ongoing and I'll be going to them to see what they are doing and getting an update of progress of what is going on and if he is involve in that sort of thing then the law is going to run its course."

Jules Vasquez
"Already incalculable grief and now you have to deal with issue that a family member is detained."

Steven Rowland - Brother of Lester Rowland
"That's the worst part of it because his daughters cannot grasps the fact to hear and understand what is being reported that this may have been the outcome that a family member is responsible for what had happened."

Jules Vasquez
"I saw a young man who resides in the area being taken away. Is that person a suspect?"

Superintendent Alden Dawson, Officer Commanding Police Precinct 1
"He is in custody at this time and he is being interviewed."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, a member of the family intimated that they fear that their brother may have been killed by a family member, is that something you all are looking at?"

Superintendent Alden Dawson, Officer Commanding Police Precinct 1
"Yes because of the proximity of where the body was found we believe that it may be connected to the family."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, I know that you can't see into the future, but you expect that there will be an arrest coming out of this?"

Superintendent Alden Dawson, Officer Commanding Police Precinct 1
"Jules, from the investigation we believe we will make an arrest shortly."

Tonight Leslie Roland's nephew who lived in the downstairs of the house remains detained. Reports are that Leslie Roland had been giving electricity to the lower flat, and when his bill ran high - he had a confrontation with his nephew. That misunderstanding may have triggered the violent confrontation which led to his death - and eventually being placed unconscious in the vat. Again, that is just a theory investigators are working with.

Roland was the father of three - and a wife who all live in the US.

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