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But there’s a lot of other news going on tonight. First up, is the murder of 21 year old Teddy Murillo. He was killed in an area adjacent to the Yabra area but his killing is not gang related, nor is this young man known to have had rivalries with anyone else. He was a University of Belize student, living 5 days of the week in Cayo at the Central Farm campus. He came home to his family’s residence on Nurse Findley Crescent in the Port Loyola area every weekend. That’s where he was greeted by his father and mother, both working parents and his sisters both in high school. His elder brother was away at medical school in Cuba.

We share those details to provide some context for the story of his death – because Teddy Murillo came from a strict, hard working background, had no criminal record and was not known to hang on the corner. But, like many other 21 year old’s, he was coming home on Saturday morning at around 1:30 am after hanging out with friends at BTL Park. That’s when he was met by an end that no one could have expected. His mother who is an employee at BTL was away receiving job training when she got the news. She was still shocked when we spoke to her today.

Danalyn Murillo, Mother of Murder Victim
“I can’t find words to describe. I literally cannot find words to describe.”

21 year Old Teddy Murillo’s mother is thoroughly devastated after he son’s body was found here on Waight Street in this drain at 4:00 on Saturday Morning. He was face up and had multiple gunshot wounds.

Crispin Jeffries, Commissioner of Police
“The body of Mr. Murillo was reportedly seen sometime between 3:30 and 4 o’clock in the morning by somebody coming home. They then called the control room and reported it.”

Police believe he was shot hours earlier.

Crispin Jeffries,
“The police when they found the body it appeared to have been dead for at least a little while, not just dying as such. Initial investigations revealed that around 1:30 am, Rowland was on Waight Street when the shots were heard.”

Murillo’s family says that those shots were fired by a police man – information they say they got from witnesses who heard him say “it’s not me” and then named the police officer.

Danalyn Murillo,
“I’m convinced in my mind yes because Ted at one point did say to that specific police, he called the police’s name and said, dah nuh me. So for whatever reason he is saying to the police it is not me and the police did not listen. And the police couldn’t have made a mistake because first I thought it was a mistaken identity but the police live adjacent to us. He got a shot first in his back because people saw and people say when he got that first shot he was running, he was limping.”

Police say they have not spoken to that witness.

Crispin Jeffries,
“We’re hoping that somebody came out and saw something and would want to tell us and we are waiting patiently for them to come forward. We are prepared to accept a recorded statement. So long as it has the evidence, we will make an arrest. We have no difficulty with that, we urgently want to get there but if that person is talking on the radio and entertaining the public and doesn’t have the facts then we are sorry for the kind of suffering he is adding to the victim’s family.”

Danalyn Murillo,
“When the police went to do their investigation, if they took the suspect along with them, what did they expect to get. They did not expect to get the truth, they did not expect to get the correct information.”

Crispin Jeffries,
“The officers on that scene, one of those officers is allegedly being accused of being involved in the shooting. We knew nothing then and we cannot confirm anything at this time, that any of those officers is involved in that specific shooting.”

Jeffries says that the police officer who the family is alleging is involved is the subject of an inquiry, not an investigation.

Crispin Jeffries,
“At any point in time, that any of those officers whose names are being called or are being identified are involved in any way, that matter will turn into a criminal investigation. At this time it is a departmental internal inquiry. We have interviewed those officers, we have received reports from them, we have spoken to the control room staff that received the report and we are conducting our inquires.”

But for this grieving, shattered family they say that Teddy Murillo wasn’t into anything that should have led to his death. He’s a student at UB’s agriculture campus and a young man raised and still active in the Adventist Church where he’s been a Deacon for the last three years.

Danalyn Murillo,
“I never thought that one day it would happen because we saw ourselves as law abiding citizens. I always say we are from the south side but we are not part of the activities that happen in the south side.”

Jaunna Murillo, Sister of Murder Victim
“We just don’t understand why this terrible barbaric incident occurred.”

Danalyn Murillo,
“When you are a law abiding citizen, how do you expect such a response.”

And– even if they charge the policeman for killing him, the pain and injustice of this loss will never heal for this family.

Danalyn Murillo,
“I see this as a sentence that lasts for eternity. I really do not have words to describe my feeling.”

Jaunna Murillo,
“Of course he will be sadly missed because when all of us sit in the house and talk he is always saying something to make everybody laugh. Now that is all gone.”

Aislinn Murillo, Sister
“He is my brother. I love him and nobody can bring him back. I don’t care if they find whoever did it, it just doesn’t give me the satisfaction of being able to hug my brother anymore…I can’t say I love you, I can’t do anything more.”

And when no answer will soothe the pain of this loss, even tears are not enough.

Danalyn Murillo says she’s ready to join common cause with Yolanda Schackron whose gone public in her quest to have a police man arrested for the murder of hew nephew Chris Galvez. The Murillo family had been recently selected to be featured in the British programme, “The World’s Strictest Families.” A few notes, Commissioner Jeffries says that the expended shells found at the scene are not the same type of the officer in question’s service weapon. Jeffries conceded though that the officer may have other weapons.