7 News Belize

A Homicide On Hummingbird: 15 Year Old Killed
posted (August 24, 2015)
And while Phillips is recovering, today the family of Tarique Polanco was building his tomb. It's a tragic and completely unexpected turn of events for the family which lived in the country, at mile 26 on the Hummingbird Highway. Through those long rolling hills near the gap -one of the most picturesque settings in the Stann Creek District - that's the last place you might expect a violent - ultimately fatal - home invasion. Today, Monica Bodden went south to find out how the family is coping and coming to grips that their grandson was killed at their home:.

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"When the men finished broke in and took out the gun, the opened the door and the came out right here and they put the gun right here (neck) on the little boy and they shoot him."

This morning Mateo Polanco recalled the horrifying home invasion - that took the life of his 15 year old grandson - Briaton Tharique Polanco.

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"I got a phone call about 11:10am in Dangriga and I came. I made it in 35 minutes and when I came, my grandson was lying right here in front of my house and the police was here already and they didn't want I come and see my grandson, because they say I will disturbed the scene."

Monica Bodden
"So Briaton had already died?"

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"He already died."

The home invasion happened here on Polanco's farm at Mile 26 on the Hummingbird Highway - Just before 10 on Friday morning, the three masked men entered his home armed with machetes and then proceeded to tie-up 3 of Polanco's grandchildren and 64 year old Bernard Usher - a worker on the farm.

Polanco's 15 year old grandson, Briaton Polanco, was working on the farm at the time when he heard the commotion and headed to the house to see what was happening.

As he approached the side of the house, one of the robbers took his grandfather's licensed firearm and fired the fatal shot that caught the young man in his neck.

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"They tied all of my grandchildren, but when they were going to tie one of the girls who is 10 years old, she took off the mask from one of them and she noticed that it was the guy that was working for me before. I don't have any conflict with any of them. I treat them good. I feed him, I pay him good and he went from here happy. He said he will come back and work, but then he came back and he destroyed my grandson and my home and stole my money."

One of the culprits was identified as an ex-employee of Polanco - who is the owner of a bus line. The Honduran national had been working with the bus company for 3 months and was in good standing with the Polanco family. Stolen from the home was a 12 gauge New England shot gun - the alleged murder weapon.

Also stolen was a 19 inch Flat screen television, a sony DVD player and three thousand dollars in cash.

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"i got a call from my daughter that the morgue wants to charge me $450, and they stole all my money."

Monica Bodden
"How much money was taken from home?"

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"$3,000. I had that money to pay bank and to send him to high school."

Monica Bodden
"So Briaton, what class he was going into?"

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"He was going into first form at ITVET. He was going to lean mechanic."

15 year old Briaton was looking forward to attending his first day of school today at the ITVET.

Instead his family was busying building his tomb today - and preparing to lay the teenage boy to rest.

Mateo Polanco - Grandfather
"I can't even explained how angry I am, because the police knows that I don't have any gun and they left me right here isolated. And I know if I take revenge, if I go and borrow a gun, they will lock me up, but they won't lock up the Honduran guys. They left them to go."

"All my children, I taught them well - hardworking. They don't steal anything from anyone. This boy doesn't go on the street at all at night. He stays at home. He doesn't look for bad crowd. I always advised him. I always tell them "look at me, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't go to the streets, I work and work." If I would have a gun that night I know I would go and look for those guys and I would kill the 3 of them and I hope the police or the law wouldn't charge me anything because I am taking care of my family."

So far police are looking for one suspect

Supt. Ralph Moody
"21st August 2015, at about 9am. Police received information of a home invasion at mile 26 1/2 on the Hummingbird Highway. Police responded to the information where they saw a lifeless body of a male person. We later learned that the person who was shot is one Briaton Polanco. We also spoke to an elderly guy by the name of Mr. Bernard Usher, who told us that 3 male persons tied him up, took him inside of his house and stole an undisclosed amount of money along with a shotgun. Our information revealed that Mr. Polanco heard a commotion at the residence and he went there to find out what was going on. As he approached the house he was shot in his face and the 3 mask men then fled the scene. Our investigation also revealed that they took several different items. Police discovered a TV and a VCR in the nearby bushes. The body of Mr. Polanco was transported to the Southern Regional morgue. I must say that the scene was also processed by the Scenes of Crime Technicians. The body was taken to Belize this morning for a post mortem."

Monica Bodden
"We were just by Mr. Polanco residence. He believe that these culprits might still be in the vicinity of his farm. We wanted to know if police had searched that area."

Supt. Ralph Moody
"Yes, we conducted search the same day and we have we continue to do our patrols within that area on an unmarked vehicle and as well we have police officers dressed in civilian clothing in that area gathering intelligence and moving around."

Monica Bodden
"Do you guys know who you are looking for?"

Supt. Ralph Moody
"Presently we have a suspect. We don't want to reveal any name at this present moment. As well we are getting the assistance of our neighbor country to try to see if we can pick up that individual."

Police believe the suspects may have retreated into the bushes.

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