And from fires to a murder today…..a 52 year old was lured out of his home by a machete wielding man, who chopped him to death in his neighbor's yard. The police substation is only a few minutes away from where this latest murder took place, and the community feels that a more timely response could have prevented this tragedy. Jomarie Lanza was on the scene today in Maya Mopan and here's what she learned about this fatal chopping.
Just after 1:00 this afternoon in Belmopan, neighbors and bystanders looked on as a young girl in despair and anguish gripped onto the back of a police mobile as officers were attempting to transport the body of her father, who was chopped to death in her neighbors yard
A chilling account was given to us by a neighbor who says that the man responsible for this horrific tragedy was wielding two machetes, and he is still on the loose.
Voice of Neighbor
"It started with my neighbor cross the street. He was running to the other neighbors for help but apparently no one could help. The neighbor daughter tried to help, his daughter tried to help the son tried to help no one could get him off. He had two machete two long machete well sharpened."
Reporter
"And he chased him over to the other neighbor yard."
Voice of Neighbor
"Yes he did and started chopping him, he fell and then he continued, they tried to separate him they couldn't and he went back to finish the guy on the ground."
Reporter
"And then after that where did he go?"
Voice of Neighbor
"Well me and my neighbor trailed him for like 7 minutes. That's to tell you how long we got no response and with 911 we even got hung up on with the 911 calls. I have four calls I made today to try to get help no help. Everybody try call the police, they took at least 20 mins to reach. Or more honestly that long."
Reporter
"You think if police arrived earlier they could have avoided this?"
Voice of Neighbor
"Of course we have a police booth back here, we have a substation back here that's why this entire neighborhood is pissed off right now."
The body of the deceased 52 year old Pedro Hernadez, a Belizean laborer now lies at the Western regional Hospital morgue awaiting a post mortem. The accused has not yet been detained but police are looking for a known suspect.
We'll let you know when police track down the suspect.
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