You'll remember the case from November 2015, when Rodriguez was detained by Placencia Police. There had been a brutal robbery of a Canadian couple a few days before on the peninsula. They were beaten on the beach, taken to their house, tied up, their home was raided, and their car was stolen. Police found the car all the way in Corozal - 200 miles away. Rodriguez was arrested, reportedly after a beatdown by the Xaibe villagers, and he was taken back to Placencia.

That's where the details get murky because Police Sergeant Shal, supposedly took him to an area on the Placencia Beach, where Rodriguez would cooperate and show them where some of the stolen loot from the Canadian family's home was hidden.

The official police report is that when he arrived on the beach side under the cover of darkness, Rodriguez, who was handcuffed from behind, jumped out of the police mobile, and tried to escape. The police say that he fell into the sea and because he couldn't maneuver his arms, due to the handcuff, he ended up drowning from sand and water inhalation. His family didn't buy that story, and they accused those officers of taking him to that location, and holding his head under water until he suffocated. Shal was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.

Well in the trial before Justice Denis Hanomansingh, the prosecution had evidence from Police Constable Middleton, who swore to police that Sergeant Shal was was responsible for Rodriguez's death.

Well, Justice Hanomansingh was not convinced by that statement, noting his concern that there were inconsistencies. Though there was evidence before the judge from the medical examiner that Rodriguez was beaten while in police custody, there was no fool-proof evidence that his head was held underwater.