Another woman has been killed – most likely as a result of domestic violence. Tonight, Belize City police are looking for her ex common-law husband. 21 year-old Salvadoran Merlin Elizabeth Herrera Mejia, was found in her apartment on Morning Glory Street this morning, with her throat slashed. Police were called in early this morning, and we found out why they suspect that it is yet another domestic dispute turned homicide.

Daniel Ortiz reports:

When we arrived, the Eastern End of Morning Glory Street was already cordoned off by police and scenes of crime personnel.

Inside the cement house, seen here at the left of your screen, the body of 21 year-old Salvadoran Merlin Elizabeth Herrera Mejia lay in a pool of her own blood in one of the rooms.

Her throat had been slashed.

Inspector Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Precinct 1 & 2

"At 6:50 a.m. acting upon information received, police visited number 4533, it's a cement structure building. Police went inside of a room where they saw the lifeless body of a female descent person. She was identified as Merlin Elizabeth Herrera Mejia, 21 year old Salvadoran national, cleaner of that same address. Police observed two large cut wounds to the neck and one behind the left ear."

Daniel Ortiz

"Do police know how those injuries occurred?"

Inspector Alejandro Cowo - OC, CIB Precinct 1 & 2

"No. We are still investigating at this moment, any other further information will be conveyed to you soon as we have any other information. We suspect that - a family dispute, domestic dispute. At this moment the police are seeking for the common-law husband, Ulysses Manuel Mayorga a Honduran national."

"As far as we know they were living together but they had separated some time ago. And that he was still frequent in that location where the body was found this morning but that's all I can tell you at this time. We still believe that he is here in the city, we have received information. We had acted upon some information but unfortunately he was not at the location. We have sent all formation messages to all the border points and we have informed all our persons conducting checkpoints in the area to be on the lookout for this person, I think he can assist us in the investigation at this time."

Shortly after police removed Herrera Mejia's body, her mother arrived on the scene, and the revelation of her killing caused her to break down in anguish. When she had composed herself about 15 minutes later, she spoke with the press.

She says that police are right to be investigating her daughter's common-law husband.

Maria Dorla Alas De Mejia - Mother of Deceased

Translated to English...

"I don't know what happened because I didn't see, It happened at night, but what I'm saying is that I am not sure if he was here at midnight when he called me because over the phone I don't know, I didn't come to see nothing, because he called me and i don't know , he told me that she was there very drunk and if he could take the boy and said well okay take the boy but still I don't know , I didn't see if it was him."

"I was asleep when he called me at midnight but directly I can't accuse him if it was him because i did not see him."

"What i want is for the authorities to do an investigation to see if it was him and if it was him then for them to arrest him but if it was not him because I want them to do a proper investigation because i don't want anyone to be taken or arrested for what someone else has done."

About an hour before news time, the National Women's Commission issued a statement condemning in the strongest terms, the murder of Merlin Herrera Mejia. They remind authorities that Belize is a signatory to the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women – which makes domestic violence, quote, "crimes against the state." The Commission also noted that Maria Pech was allegedly set on fire by her husband. Very fortunately, she survived, but the other recent domestic victims, Juana Cardinez and Keisha Buller were both killed. Their spouses now stand accused of their murders.