The search for James Young ended bitterly this weekend. The 82 year old taxi driver disappeared on Tuesday afternoon from the Market Square in Belmopan where he had worked as a taxi man for decades. His family got the news on Friday evening when a worker in the Teakettle area stumbled on what was later identified as the body of James Young. For a family that held out hope until the last, the discovery of their slain father was completely devastating.

Keith Swift Reporting,
The search for Mr. Jimmy ended on Friday evening in the bushes off this road deep in the jungles of Cayo on the road leading to Pook’s Hill. The 82 year old had been bludgeoned. He had multiple stab wounds to his neck, his chest, his stomach – injuries which police believe he received on Tuesday night, the day he went missing.

Sgt. Ismael Westby, Lead Investigator
“On Friday what we discovered was a decomposed human body in the Pook’s Hill Resort Road which is approximately about eight kilometres from the Western Highway from Teakettle Village. This body that was found was identified to be that of Mr. James Young.”

Gilbert Young, Son of Deceased
“I couldn’t believe that my father would have faced such a terrible horrible death. I can imagine the pain and the agony and the suffering that my dad went through from how I saw my dad lying there on his back in the bushes, lifeless. It is terrible. It is something that I will never forget. It is something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life.”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“The doctor confirmed that the injuries on the body were multiple stab wounds.”

Aaron Humes, Amandala
“Can you say how many?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“We cannot say how many due to the fact of decomposition.”

Keith Swift,
“Can you say what parts of the body?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“To the chest and neck area of the body.”

Police won’t say if they suspect Mr. Jimmy was killed where his body was found – of if he was killed elsewhere and then dumped there. They do know though that his gold coloured Geo Prism was found near the western border.

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“On the 30th July 2009 his vehicle which is a Geo Prism four door car was found within the red zone between the Belize-Guatemala border at the western border.”

All indications point to robbery as the motive.

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“We cannot say exactly what transpired, how his attackers got involved in him but we know that he operates from within the market square area and later on from there he went missing. We believe the motive was robbery.”

Keith Swift,
“Did they steal anything other than his car?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“So far we haven’t confirmed anything else missing, just the car.”

Keith Swift,
“How about money?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“We found no money around the body. We are not sure how much money he had in his possession, if he had any we cannot confirm.”

Keith Swift,
“Jewellery?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“The jewelleries that he had on were found with him.”

Keith Swift,
“And the cell phone?”

Sgt. Ismael Westby,
“The cell phone was missing.”

Gilbert Young,
“I believe my dad probably said to them take the car, take the money, but please don’t kill me, leave me with my life. I believe he said that…it is a terrible thing man. It is terrible. It is really really terrible.”

Terrible and downright frightening to other taxi men who work in the Belmopan area. 76 year old Cayetano Nah also works in market square and he told me this morning that he feels it could happen to him.

Cayetano Nah, Taxi Driver
“I know I am not safe because I am an ageable man so now what they try to do is they take in the age-able people and that is why I know that I am not safe.”

Keith Swift,
“So you will now be more cautious as to who you allow into your car?”

Cayetano Nah,
“Correct. With me, the people I carry most in my car is ladies and everybody says that. It is not so easy for them to kidnap you.”

Orlando Smith, Taxi Driver
“Everyday you have to think about safety. You just have to watch who you pick up and things like that. You can get afraid and stop work because then what will you do.”

Keith Swift,
“Are you surprised that this happened?”

Orlando Smith,
“Yes, surprised yes especially with that man because he doesn’t really bother with nobody.”

But some one bothered James Young and killed him.

Keith Swift,
“What do you want to say to the persons who did this to your father?”

Gilbert Young,
“Well that God loves him and God is willing to forgive him and that God knows what he did and that God knows who he is and I don’t have nothing against them. That is God’s job.”

As we mentioned in the story – police have already recovered young’s stolen geo prism near the western border. Additionally a suspect has already been detained in Belmopan and late word into 7News is that two additional suspects have been detained by Cayo police. They were allegedly being sought by police and have allegedly given conflicting stories – with each implicating the other in the crime. We’ll have more on the late breaking developments tomorrow.