There are two murders to report to night, and in an unusual coincidence, both victims are butchers who died in separate shooting incidents, in separate parts of the country.
We start first with the murder of 46 year-old Luis Sierra, who was shot and killed in the Valley Community yesterday, on a property located at mile 18 on the Hummingbird Highway.
He went to a farm with his side-man, 30 year-old Ramon Teck, to speak with the owner. They had been discussing business over the course of several weeks. Sierra intended to buy cattle from this man, who is now a suspect in his murder.
He went to the man's farm to inspect these cattle for himself, to make sure that he was getting value for money. But in the middle of the inspection, at around 2:00 in the afternoon, a gunman came charging out of the bush, as if he was waiting for the right opportunity, and shot Sierra in the abdomen.
His family and police started a desperate search for him late in the evening, and early this morning. They were hoping to find him alive. But, that wasn't to be, and only our 7News team was on site when his body was discovered. Daniel Ortiz has the story:
Daniel Ortiz reporting
Just before midday today, family members of 46 year-old Luis Sierra helped the police authorities to carry his body down this very steep hill.
Behind the body followed his grieving relatives, in a sort of funeral procession, as they tried their best to keep their pain under control.
They had organized in search parties, and they had been combing this hillside since late yesterday evening. They were hoping to find him alive, but they were also bracing for the possibility that they would find his body.
Jose Erazo - Brother of the Deceased
"Our hope is that we find him alive. But at the same time sometimes it's hard to believe with somebody got shot in the stomach and he called one of his workers and he said that he is dying and his voice was very slow and very weak and he couldn't talk more after that and that is the last word that he said. So it would just be a miracle of God if we find him alive."
"We would want that this searching wouldn't stop even if it's night until we find him either dead or alive, but we need to find him."
But, their fortitude was still shaken the moment they found his body down the side of this hill. The family and police were working alongside each other to locate him, but the minute he was discovered, the officers had to go into police mode, trying to keep them back, and to secure the scene and preserve evidence.
It's a cruel end they were hoping could be avoided, and the family's rage and hurt are compounded by the fact that they think that he was lured here to his death under false pretenses of doing business. He came to this property yesterday seeking to buy cattle from a person police is treating as a suspect at this time. Sierra, a butcher from Bullet Tree, was invited to this man's home because he wanted to inspect cattle that would he be interested in buying.
Jose Erazo - Brother of the Deceased
"So he told him to come and see for himself. So my brother came and he didn't have the cow here at his house, he said he had it in the bushes. He had a cow here and my brother ask if this was it and he said it's not that. He said that he has it in the bushes and when they went in the bushes, he said that the man started to call the cattle, but nothing came. So they walk a little bit around the bushes where he has his pastures, but it wasn't pastures, it was high bushes. Only a little clearance was there. So when he came back and stand up in the clear, the man who set him up to take him up there, he stayed behind. So my brother was already coming back with his worker and at the same time somebody came out from the bushes with a gun and he point at two of them and he told my brother that he will die and he pointed the gun to him and he shot him in his stomach and then after that he follows the worker, he chased him, but I don't know if the gun snapped or what but he didn't fire at him, but he chased him a good distance in the bushes."
So, while this gunman was pursuing, Sierra's worker, he was left behind, and that's the last time he was seen alive. Using his cellphone, he called his family and this employee over for help, telling them of his distress, that he was injured in the abdomen area.
Jose Erazo - Brother of the Deceased
"He called Lester and told him that he got shot and to come and look for him, But Lester ask where is he and he said that is by some animals and then he said he called him again, that was about 2pm when he called the first time. He say he (Luis) call again about nearly 3pm and then from that no more calls. I mean they tried to call him, but the no ringing from the phone. He (Luis) called another friend who works for him at his meat shop in Bullet Tree and he told him that, the only word that he said was that "I am dying" and then he (Luis) didn't say anymore and the phone went off."
The gunman, we're told, was hiding here when he ambushed Sierra and his employee. It is not known what happened to Sierra, after he was shot, but somehow, he ended up at the bottom of this hill, which is at least a 30 feet drop.
And though, they couldn't save his life, police are trying to ensure that all involved are brought to justice.
They have 2 people in custody, one of them seen, here lying down in the back of this police mobile, with his face hidden. The cops also retrieved a gun which they believe is the murder weapon.
Supt. Leslie Wade - OC, Dangriga Police
"At this present moment police have in custody 2 persons of interest and we definitely believe that we have the right persons and the investigation is on its way."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Sir, we were made to understand that police may have recovered what they believe is the weapon used to shoot Mr. Sierra. Is that accurate?"
Supt. Leslie Wade - OC, Dangriga Police
"Yes, that is so. We have also recovered the firearm of which Scenes of Crime has already processed the scene. The firearm has already been taken into custody along with the body. The body is now being escorted to Dangriga hospital morgue where it awaits a postmortem."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"The family gave us the impression that they strongly believe that Mr. Sierra was lured to his death and this was not a legitimate business transaction. Is police investigating along those lines?"
Supt. Leslie Wade - OC, Dangriga Police
"The police are looking at all avenues in respect to this investigation and we will definitely get to the full story of this incident. Like I said we have 2 persons in custody of which we believe are the main suspects."
Sierra's brother told us that moment he became aware of this cattle deal 3 weeks ago, he became suspicious, and he expressed his concern. He told us that he wished his brother had heeded that warning.
Jose Erazo - Brother of the Deceased
"I brother told me about approximately 3 weeks ago. He told me that a guy from here this south area got a business and told him about a deal, about 6 small animals he is selling at a good price and I told him to be careful. It sounded like it could be theft, because it's too cheap and I told him if its theft you might get in trouble to bring that, police could catch you and you could get in trouble. He told me that he will see about it, but it sounded like a good deal he told me. He leave at that and he didn't tell me anything again, so I think he forgot and I say its better, because I didn't want he do that deal."
Sierra was the father of 4 children, and his family told us that he made regular trips to Placencia to sell his meat and vegetables. They believe that it was on these trips that he encountered this man who invited him to his farm, which then resulted in his death.
A press release from the police say that .38 SPL revolver was retrieved from the area. It had 4 live rounds and 1 expended shell. As we told you, police believe this is the murder weapon.
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