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Cayo Crowd Came Out To Condemn & Curse Alleged Double Murderer
posted (May 10, 2016)
Anchor security guard Andy Bustillos was arraigned today in Cayo for 2 counts of murder. Bustillos allegedly shot and killed his ex-common law wife Miriam "Betty" Mai and her sister in law Daisy Miralda on Saturday April 30th. He then shot himself in the head but he survived. It happened inside Betty's Beauty Salon in Cayo.

Now this double murder has wrecked 2 families and infuriated the community. And they showed their anger today as Bustillos was escorted to court. Courtney Weatherburne was there to capture that moment.

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
"In our hearts forever" that was the message the Mai and Miralda families and friends carried with them this morning as they gathered beneath the shade in front of the San Ignacio police station. But while they all stood in love and solidarity for the tragic loss of Miriam Mai and Daisy Miralda, they also stood and waited for justice.

Mai's and Miralda's alleged murderer Anchor Security Guard Andy Bustillos was charged yesterday evening with 2 counts of murder.

So this morning, with loved ones looking on and police officers standing guard, Bustillos was brought out for his arraignment in court.

And that same peaceful crowd then erupted in rage and indignation.

Merleen Hyde, Mai's older sister
"Why are they walking with an umbrella? Why are they protecting him? He's a criminal. Why when my sister was asking for protection they didn't protect her? This is not enough for us, we want him to pay, to go to Hattieville and pay. That is what we want, we don't want him dead. If so, two brothers reached so closed to him at the hospital and they could have done something to him but we said no, we want justice for my sister and my sister in law. That is what we are asking for, justice nothing else."

Courtney Weatherburne
"And that justice will come in the form of life in prison right?"

Merleen Hyde, Mai's older sister
"Yes, life in prison."

Alejandro Rodriguez, Mai's Father
"He planned this and we didn't know until after she was dead. Everybody knew but we didn't because he was talking about it all about. Police knew, they should have arrested him and lock him up. Even he wouldn't be like that, because they could have avoided this."

Feeling powerless, the family members collapsed into their anguish.

Janette Mai, Mai's sister
"I'm just angry right now, I feel an anger inside of me because they are all protecting him like he's some sort of angel when they didn't even do anything for my sister when she did 3 complaints against him and they are hiding him there with an umbrella like if he's some sort of God. You don't do that; they don't feel the anger that we have inside of us that my sister was lying on the ground like she's some sort of animal. He didn't feel sorry for my sister, why are they feeling sorry for him hiding him with an umbrella. That pain that we have in here."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Sir, the residents, the family members were outraged when Bustillos was escorted to the court he was covered with an umbrella. Can you talk to us about the procedures why that was done?"

Sr. Supt. Andrew Ramirez, Cayo Police Commander
"Apparently the fellow Bustillos had sustained injuries upon himself. One of the medical expert's advice was for him to refrain from the sun because apparently he had suffered some injuries to the eye which may have caused blindness. It wasn't that the police were trying to shun him away from the community but it was basically a medical advice."

Courtney Weatherburne
"This is not the first time that the police have heard of this abusive relationship between Mai and Bustillos. We spoke with OC Rosado as well, he told us that she came to the police station on several occasions to complain and to ask the police for help but he wasn't detained. Nothing was done by the police, could you speak on that? The family is outraged by that."

Sr. Supt. Andrew Ramirez, Cayo Police Commander
"There is no doubt Courtney that whenever a life is lost, one of the easiest entity to place blame on would be the police officers. Regrettably the matter with this relationship was indeed one of those domestic type and in order to proceed with any matter, we need the victim to say that 'I want to take it to court'. Most of the times we have scenarios where the person says 'you know what, I just want to speak to that individual or let him move out'. This matter with Ms. Mai and Mr. Bustillos, I think about 3 weeks prior, he had gotten a restraining order and a week later or two weeks later she was again assaulted but yet she did not want to pursue the matter."

So after Bustillos was taken away, the realization and emptiness settled in, and the crowd went home with the same silence that led to Mai's and Miralda's death.

Because of the gunshot he inflicted on himself, Bustillos is now blind in both eyes.

He has been remanded to prison until July 8th. At his next court date he is expected to be charged with aggravated assault for pointing a gun at Mai's and Miralda's other friends in the salon. As we told you, Bustillos tried to shoot 2 other persons but the gun jammed and they were able to dash away.

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