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Murder in “Paradise”
posted (December 14, 2015)
It's called Paraiso - Spanish for "Paradise" - but tonight, this quiet village just North of Corozal Town is back in the news after 22 year old Alberto Briceno was killed there in what looks like a drunken street fight.

Right now, police aren't ruling out his possible involvement in the incident which ended his life, but his family members, who are eyewitnesses, swear that he was killed for nothing more than a friendly gesture. So, how do they explain what happened? Well, that's what our news team found out today when they went north. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Voice of: Mother of Deceased
"I got the hospital. I knew when I saw him with all those stab wound in his back and one in his chest, I knew he wouldn't make it. With his facial expression, I knew my son wouldn't make it."

Daniel Ortiz reporting
That's any parent's worst nightmare, but, it was the reality that the mother of 22 year-old Alberto Briceno was face with after he had been viciously stabbed in a drunken fight in Paraiso Village. He was assaulted, then stabbed multiple times, right here at this park, a stone's throw away from his house on Saturday night at around 9:30.

He died less than an hour later.

Supt. Dennis Arnold - OC, Corozal Police
"Police initial investigation reveals that whilst Briceno was socializing at Paraiso Park, he got into an altercation with two brothers. The altercation escalated where a fight ensued and one of the brothers introduced a knife into the fight and inflict stab wounds to Mr. Briceno."

But, while police is summing it as a social gathering gone wrong, for the family, it's not so simple. His aunt, who witnessed the entire incident, says that Briceno never once aggressed his assailant. She told us today that Briceno greeted the knife wielder's younger brother in a friendly manner. This older brother, who was looking on from afar, mistook a cordial exchange for an aggressive confrontation, and leapt into action:

Voice of: Cruzita Mendez - Aunt of Deceased
"Alberto just passed by and gave him a friendly push, and I think he was drunk. He fell. When the older brother saw that he fell, he thought that Alberto was beating him. There were no arguments, no cursing, nothing happened. He came and just beat Alberto. He managed to get up and walked toward the toucan in the park. The older brother came after him again, shoved him, and started to beat him again. Then I saw that he opened that his pants zip, and to be honest, I felt bad because I thought he was going to rape him. I didn't run through my mind that he was going to stab him. But, this older brother pulled out a sharp object. I saw him take it out. I saw him take out the knife and stabbed (Alberto) 3 times."

Supt. Dennis Arnold - OC, Corozal Police
"Immediately after 5 minutes after the stabbing, we got both persons in custody."

And, that's where this grieving family wants them to remain. They want the state to ensure that Alberto's killer pays for that crime dearly.

Voice of: Cruzita Mendez - Aunt of Deceased
"I am a mother, and I know that it is something that hurt. What I want is justice. Let them lock him up to make him see that it hurts."

As you heard, Police have the 2 brothers detained who they intend to take criminal action against. They are waiting for an identification parade, to move the investigation forward. They say that by tomorrow the latest, that should take place, and then, they will know what step to take next.

This older brother, who is believed to be the knife wielder, was recently released from prison. The knife used in the stabbing has not been recovered as yet.

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