Tonight, the Maskall family based in Belize City, Rockville and Dangriga Town are mourning the death of a loved-one, 18 year-old George Richard Maskall
Jr. That's after police found his body floating in the lagoon behind Seine Bight Village yesterday, just before midday.
There were signs of violence on his body, which caused officers from Placencia to suspect foul-play. This evening, we spoke with the commanding officer
of the Placencia Police Station, Inspector Dennis Myles, and he explained that a post-mortem has confirmed that Maskall was stabbed to death:
Inspector Dennis Myles - OC, Placencia Police
"Around 11:30 yesterday morning we received information of a body being floating in the lagoon behind Seine Beight village. As a result the police
visited the area and saw a male person who was later identified to us as a George Richard Maskall - originally of Belize City but he was staying in
Seine Beight village. We observed that the body was in an advance state of decomposition but signs of violence was observed on the body. The body was
then fished out of the river and taken to an area where we do a post mortem and medical officer certified that he died as a result of multiple stab
wounds to the abdomen area. Because the murder is a recent murder and the investigation just commenced - we don't have any lead at this present
moment."
So, while police have no leads to go on at this early stage in the investigation, Maskall's grandparents in Rockville also believe that his violent end
was uncharacteristic of the young man they knew and cared about. His grandfather, Luis Maskall Sr., told us that George Maskall received what is
believed to be a death threat. He also discussed what information has been shared with him from his family in the south.
Luis Maskall Sr. - Grandfather of deceased
"The last I heard of him was like I said, he moved to Dangriga and we lost track of communication of speak in a long way. Last we heard of him was a
text that one of his little brothers got when we was here spending time with us - he a text saying that he was missing for a while and after that the
next thing we heard that police have him hold. Then the other report we got was, he was dead or something. Somebody identified his body as George Jr."
Daniel Ortiz
"Now sir, do you all suspect that someone may have taken his life? If that a fear of yours? In trying to seek closure in his untimely passing?"
Luis Maskall Sr.
"When we first heard of it; because we knew that he got some information on something that was dangerous in his eyes. Because of that we believe that
when he heard of it, yeah it could have been tragic in the sense that he was gone, lost. So we believe that in the end we would have heard something
sad about what had happened to him. That's for sure."
Daniel Ortiz
"Now sir, talk to us about your grandson. Was he the type of person involved in situations that puts his life at risk?"
Luis Maskall Sr.
"Well for me, when we was with us; because he grew up right here. He was a genuine little boy, mannerly. Like I said, after he had gone to Belize City
to live, we lose communication, we lose track, we lose everything about him. All we know is sometime he come up here to spend holidays and that was it.
But for him to get himself into trouble, I wouldn't know that, really I wouldn't know."
Daniel Ortiz
"Now talk to us about his personality and what would be some of the things you will miss about him as your grandson."
Luis Maskall Sr.
"Oh my goodness, he was a very very entertaining little boy. Believe me, he was quite exciting, he was quite amazing. When he was around, believe me he
was a fun boy to be around."
While police will work to find out who killed Maskall and why, a possible motive could be that his killer or killers may have silenced him. Sources
tell 7News that he was a key prosecution witness for a grisly murder which happened in the cemetery last year.
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