The year's 92nd murder occurred last night in Belize City and
it appears to have been a hit. The victim is 23 year old Christopher Galvez –
a young businessman who his family believes was lured to his death. We've
been on the story since last night and Keith Swift has the details.
Keith Swift Reporting,
23 year old Christopher Galvez was gunned down inside the Pipersburgh Boat Yard
at mile 2 and a half on the Western Highway. Our cameras were there last night
when police were removing his body draped in a white sheet. A crowd of onlookers
had gathered -many of them family members in shock and grief. Among them was
Christopher's father Martin Galvez, seen here touching the body of his
slain son.
Martin Galvez, Father of Murder Victim
"Apparently he got one shot in the head."
Christopher Galvez's family last saw him alive at around 8:30 last night.
He had been working at Royal Wholesale, a company owned by his family, for the
entire day. But at 8:30 is when his family says a friend came to look for him.
Yolanda Schakron, Aunt
"He was with me in the store helping me and he was normal, he was
happy, we were talking about Christmas and we were standing out here and he
just said bye."
Martin Galvez,
"We saw a vehicle come into yard and he got into the vehicle with
some guys and they left. And like about 20 minutes after that my brother Ramon got a call and I saw him coming towards me and he was all excited and he said
Chris just got shot."
The official report is that Andre Aguilar picked up Christopher Galvez in this
grey Toyota Land Cruiser. They drove to the boatyard on the Western Highway
and that is when Aguilar got out and went to the back of the yard. It was during
that window of about 15 minutes that someone shot Christopher Galvez who was
sitting alone in the SUV.
Christopher was shot once in the left chin. The trail of blood suggests that
if he was shot in the car – he had enough life in him to exit the vehicle
and run. If you follow these spots - they lead to an area under the shed where
he collapsed. That is about 50 feet from the car where he was supposedly shot
in. Martin Galvez says that Christopher and Andre were high school friends.
Martin Galvez,
"I think they went to SJC together some years ago, the high school.
I am not too familiar with him."
Keith Swift,
"And from what you understand, what is your reaction when you hear that
this person who was with your son did not get shot?"
Martin Galvez,
"Well like I said, when I got there he didn't approach me or
tell me anything. I said it is funny because it wasn't like a shootout because my son was taken there and he is the only one who got shot or close
to being shot."
Keith Swift,
"And you can think of any reason why he was shot?"
Martin Galvez,
"That is the question I am asking everybody. I am asking my other
children if they knew anything about anybody wanting Chris dead. We all have
enemies but somebody wanted Chris dead and for what reason I don't know."
The police also don't know.
Clemente Palacio, Police Press Officer
"The motive? I won't be able to determine a motive because as
we had stated in the release, the person was in a vehicle alone and a couple
minutes later gunshots were heard in the area. The victim was seen bleeding
profusely and he collapsed under a shed."
Marion Ali, News 5
"Do police believe this was a hit or a mere robbery?"
Clemente Palacio,
"Again I think it would be premature for us to impugn any motive.
The investigation is ongoing and we will say police have in custody a person
of interest."
Keith Swift,
"Is a police officer being investigated in connection with the murder?"
Clemente Palacio,
"Again I don't want to pre-empt what the investigators are doing."
Keith Swift,
"Do you think Chris was taken to killed, Chris was picked up from here
for that purpose?"
Martin Galvez,
"At this point I wouldn't want to say but it seems that way."
Galvez told us openly that his son wasn't a saint but that he also wasn't
a criminal. He placed second in the 2003 Junior Cross Country and these newspaper
clippings show he was an accomplished high school athlete. In fact his only
run in with the law was in May of 2007 when he was shot in that infamous Putt
Putt massacre. For Martin Galvez whose wife died five years ago – the
loss of his first born child is crushing.
Martin Galvez,
"Five years ago I lost my wife and so I am like mother and father
to my five, four now but it is very hard."
It's equally devastating to his aunt Yolanda.
Yolanda Schakron,
"Christopher was like my son. His mom had passed away five years ago
and he used to call me his second mom. I just want the violence to stop. Christopher
was a good boy. He was loving, he had a son that he loved very much. He was
athethic, he was very respectful to everybody, and it is just a shock. He was
supposed to be working at the store today with me, helping me for Christmas.
We had planned to have Christmas dinner at my house with him and his son. I
just want them to stop the killing."
Keith Swift,
"Will there still be a Christmas for you?"
Martin Galvez,
"You know what, five years ago when I lost Christmas have not been
the same since and probably this year will be probably be worst, worst than
the last four years. The police are investigating and hopefully we get to the
bottom of it and hopefully we just ask for forgiveness for these guys. That
is the best I can do. At this point, my faith and my prayer will keep me going
in times like these."
Martin Galvez says that Christopher's wallet, bracelet, and his chain
were missing from his body.
We stress that Andre Aguilar who lists his profession as a tour guide
from San Pedro is only a person of interest and has not been officially called
a suspect.
The story from Aguilar, according to our sources, is that it was Christopher
Galvez who sent him a text him and asked to be picked up at Royal Wholesale
at 8 pm. Aguilar says they were going to look for a girl in King's Park
but he needed to drop food off at the Pipersburgh Boatyard for the men working
on his boat. Aguilar says he got out and took the food to his workmen and that
is when the murder occurred.
Police have also unofficially confirmed that a police officer is under
investigation in relation to the incident. According to one senior officer,
the police corporal isn't considered a suspect in the murder but he is
being investigated in relation to the management of the crime scene prior to
the arrival of CIB officers.
In the Putt Putt incident in 2007, Chris Galvez was shot twice in the
buttocks and legs. His cousin Vincent Galvez was also shot. His family doesn't
believe he was the target in that shooting. Galvez was known to have associated
with underworld figures.