The tiny village of Selena near Spanish Lookout has seen its second brutal murder in three months. 63 year old Guatemalan farmer Edgar Aldana was drinking with people he thought to be friends early Saturday morning. But one of the men turned on him, and hacked him to death. Courtney Weatherburne found out more today:...
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Plantain, Custard apple and lime - these are just a few of the fruit trees that Edgar Aldana planted and took care of for his friend. After maintaining the yard he would cool off on his hammock beneath the shade of his labor.
He lived a routine and solitary life here on this farm. He moved to Belize from Guatemala about 6 years ago and has made this place his home.
Now apart from farming, he also enjoyed hanging out with his friends in the school yard near his home. Aldana along with his friend Ruben Manzon and another man were all drinking late Friday night. Everything was quite normal until 2 other men from the village showed up at his house around 3:00 Saturday morning. That is when a confrontation erupted among Aldana, Manzon and the 2 men. One of the 2 men then pulled out a machete and chopped Aldana and Manzon to their head and face.
Aldana bled out and died here in this empty lot beside his home.
Luckily Aldana's other friend escaped and ran for help.
Rodolpho Gutierrez Pineda, Neighbour
(Translated) "Edgar, I believe, he was a bit drunk and the other guy who was chopped and sent to Belize City was drunk as well and now the other guy, he was just sleeping at Edgar's house. They are all Edgar's friends and so the friend who was sleeping heard the shouting, he heard his friends were fighting, so he jumped out of his bed and came here to ask for help."
And that is when they called the police. At this point, police do not know what sparked the fight but they say that alcohol might have been a factor.
Supt. Richard Rosado, OC San Ignacio
"Police are still trying to ascertain the motive, but we do know that alcohol may have been a contributing factor. Our initial investigation revealed that 3 of the individuals were socializing when two other individual joined them."
Courtney Weatherburne
"So you think maybe those two brought the trouble probably?"
Supt. Richard Rosado, OC San Ignacio
"We know that initially an argument ensued between the two groups."
It's a criminal investigation, but also a loss for his friends:
Rodolpho Gutierrez Pineda, Neighbour
(Translated) "I feel it, his murder, I feel it hard because he was my friend, he would go with us to church and more than anything I feel so bad about what happened. He was my neighbor, he came to my house and I went over to his as well."
Fearing reprisals, Aldana's family declined comment. He was the father of 4 kids. Police say they have 2 persons from the village in custody for questioning but are looking for the 2 men who escaped. The family will bury Edgar in Melchor. Meanwhile, his friend Manzon is in a critical condition at the KHMH.
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