A 63 year old Salvadoran woman was found buried in her back yard in Dangriga. Victoria Castillo went missing on Wednesday evening. The family thought she had traveled to Guatemala to see her daughter because her passport, and other personal belongings were not in the house. But when they called her family in Guatemala, she wasn't there. Well relatives and friends teamed up to go look for her and today they told us about this weekend's horrific discovery. Courtney Weatherburne has more:
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Victoria Castillo was a devoted Christian. She would always arrive early to open and clean the church for evening meetings and Sunday service. But the pastor's wife got concerned when Castillo didn't come to church for the Wednesday gathering.
Armede Padilla, Family Friend
"When I didn't see her show up , it was like 6:30 when I passed by, the place was closed so I called her phone and it went to voice mail, yes Wednesday like around 6:30 in the evening yes."
When she couldn't get Castillo on her cell, Padilla called Castillo's husband who had just returned home from Guatemala, but he had no idea where she was either.
Felipe Melendres, Husband (translated)
"When I came the door was ajar, so I thought she was outside but when I saw she didn't come, I said "I wonder what happened"."
Padilla made a missing person's report at the police station but nothing came out of that so the family and church community formed a search party.
They looked around in her yard until Castillo's sister made the gruesome discovery on Saturday morning. Castillo's body was buried in this grave beneath the shade of these plantain trees.
Gloria Castillo, Sister
"I was walking when I saw the dirt was upturned and in a corner it was sunken that is how I figured out that could be the tomb where she was."
Sr. Supt. Ralph Moody, Dangriga Police
"We saw several chop wounds to the chest of the victim and as well the neck was partially cut off, only leaving a piece of skin holding it."
But who could kill a grandmother of 8 in this ruthless way? The family says they believe it is her husband's own relatives who executed her.
Gloria Castillo, Sister
"Well with everything that people have been saying, I believe it was his nephews, Felipe's nephews…because they were the only ones who were here with her."
And the police are looking into that angle as well. The 2 nephews have left the country but police say they are working with the Salvadoran authorities in this case.
Sr. Supt. Ralph Moody, Dangriga Police
"The possible motive we believe is theft due to fact that one of the nephews wanted to bring a girlfriend from El Salvador to Belize and she requested assisted from Castillo and she volunteered to give some sort of assistance and I believe she pulled out her money in his presence and he saw the money and he decided to kill the young lady for that."
"Missing from the residence is one passport and $3000 US currency, we are looking for Felipe's 2 nephews who we suspected already left the country."
"Based on the information that we have received from Mr. Felipe, yes they are in El Salvador, Felipe did receive a telephone call from them saying that they are in El Salvador and have intention to return to Belize."
And the family hopes that the nephews do return so that they can get justice for their loved one.
Gloria Castillo, Sister
"I will remember her like she was always was, happy, and in my heart she will always be and that is why I say this cannot stay like this , just like what happened to her, that can happen to someone else and so I need justice."
Castillo was the mother of 3 and a grandmother of 8. As you heard, Police are working with Salvadoran authorities to get the 2 nephews back in country. They are the lead suspects.
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