| Avilez’s Brother Speaks Up: Andy Was No Saint, But…. |
| Thu, November 12, 2015 |
|
Last night we told you about the investigation into the death of 51 year old Andy Avilez. It is believed that Avilez died as a result of a fight he had with a Chinese businessman on October 9th. Wen Hua reported that he caught Avilez stealing tools from his hotel on Dolphin Drive and that Avilez hit him on the side of his face with an iron rod. Avilez was charged with wounding but then, Avilez gave a completely different account. Avilez told police that he was picking bottles out of a drain near the hotel when he was attacked. He was badly beaten and had to be hospitalized. But he did not make it. Avilez died on October 25th. Today we spoke to his younger brother Jose Sosa who told us that he didn't even know his brother had died. Sosa told us that although his brother wasn't the 'best behaved' he was trying to change his life for the better.
Jose Sosa, Brother
"I will not sit here and say that my brother was a saint. He had a lot of problems with the law all his life. But recently, since he's been out of jail for the last two months and he has how own house and I want the people to know out there that he has family who loves him very much. He chooses to be out there, because that is what he wants to do. It's not like he has to be out there. He choose that and you cannot  choose the destiny of a big man. But he has his family who loves him very much and whosesoever killed him will have to understand that there are people who love this man. The man came out of prison and says that he will change his life. He told me that he will try to change his life. He ask me to lend him my bike, because he wants to start to pick up pint bottles. He says that he can't get any job, because he is 51 years old. He says that nobody would want to hire him. He says that all his life he's been in prison. So he says "pol" lend me you bike and I'll prove to you that I will change my life. So he stated to pick up pints for a living and he says that he will buy his own bike between now and Christmas. And so every time he come here he bring his pints and I put up his pints for him. I didn't know he got into problems any anyone. It was when my birthday, they sent a letter from KHMH that they need a family member to come urgently. But I didn't have any bike at the time. I just said it's my birthday and I am going to spend the day with my mom - the 25th October. It was from the 25th October he died. I turned 44 and on my birthday he died."
Courtney Weatherburne
"So when you got the latter from the hospital, you didn't even think that he was that badly hurt or that he even died?"
Jose Sosa, Brother
"Right. I thought it was just for a family member to come for a surgery or whatever. Because he is always in and out of hospital, because people would beat him and all kinds of stuff. Because like I said to him that he comes out of jail and he can't be messing with people's stuff, because people will hurt you. All I want is justice for my brother. He is not a dog. He have people out here who loves him. He have mom, dad and brother and sister who love him to death out here."
Avilez died on October 25th - his brother's birthday. Sosa told us that now he will be following up with the police. Police have promised a fair investigation.
|
