Email

Print

By all accounts we've heard, Villafranco kept out of trouble, and was a model volunteer at the BDF from since the age of 16. So, today, we asked the police what their investigation reveals so far as to why he was violently killed in this manner:

Supt. Hilberto Romero - OC, CIB Eastern Division
"On Saturday 17th January, police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they saw the lifeless body of Denver Villafranco, 23 years old, a BDF volunteer with a stab wound to the abdomen area. Investigations have been conducted, we have about 4 persons in custody and the statements are being reviewed to determine who of these persons will be charged for this murder. The investigations reveal that as a result of a fight that happened the previous night, and on Saturday, he again was attacked, which led to him being stabbed and killed."

Daniel Ortiz
"You said involved. Were he trying to part a fight or was he a part to the fight?"

Supt. Hilberto Romero - OC, CIB Eastern Division
"He was a part of the fight on Saturday night."

Daniel Ortiz
"The fights, do you know what reasons the fights were caused by?"

Supt. Hilberto Romero - OC, CIB Eastern Division
"Some misunderstanding they had before. That is what led to the fight the previous night and on Saturday night."

Daniel Ortiz
"These fights, are they lead back to any ongoing issues between these persons?"

Supt. Hilberto Romero - OC, CIB Eastern Division
"They had some issues they had before, from the same neighborhood, they had some issues."

We also got an opportunity to speak with his common-law wife, and she told us that according to her information, the 3 who targeted Villafranco, had no reason to do so. She believes that they attacked him simply because he parted a fight between them and one of his friends on the night before:

Keisha Thompson - Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"I understand that the night before his friends that he usually hang out with, they had a misunderstanding and he part it and he told them to go their own way, that we are bigger than this and we don't need to go through that. As far as I know he leave it as that. The next day that was what happen."

Geovannie Brackett, reporter
"How is the family taking this right now? He was a BDF soldier. How is the family receiving this right now?"

Keisha Thompson - Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"Right now, we are just taking it one day at a time, put everything in God's hand because God knows him and everybody knows him as a good person. He doesn't mess with anyone. He is very mannerly because that is how his mother raised him. Denver works with the Belize Defence Force Battalion Bravo Company from he was 16 years old up to present day. He just came back from training on the 19th December. He went for two weeks and he was also working with BSI/ASR. He left one child behind, this baby here in my hand, his only daughter."

Geovannie Brackett, reporter
"How old is she?"

Keisha Thompson - Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"She is one and her name is Denise Villafranco."

Geovannie Brackett, reporter
"What is the family expectation from police at this present moment?"

Keisha Thompson - Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"We just want justice for Denver because everyone who knows Denver, knows that Denver doesn't do anyone anything. He is very mannerly and all we want is justice."

Police have made no arrests as yet, but they have 3 persons detained.