7 News Belize

Second San Pedro Murder In A Week
posted (November 8, 2010)
And while that teenager was killed in the city, in San Pedro a 24 year old was stabbed to death.

It is the second murder in less than a week for that Island Town - and this time it was the end result of feuding, a fight between two groups - presumably over the divided affections of a female.

It ended in a deadly brawl as Monica Bodden found out when she went to San Pedro today:..

24 year old Leonel Pinelo - was fatally stabbed on Friday night in front of Rainbow Star Machine and Bar in San Pedro.

The bloodstains still visible on the ground in front of the establishment - marks the spot where he fell.

He was stabbed once to his upper rib cage - and was transported to the KHMH in a critical condition - where he later died while undergoing treatment.

Sonia Harris - Mother of Decease
"They have a friend in San Pedro and she call me and tell me otherwise I would have known about it until afterwards. Later on the police call me and told me about it."

Jules Vasquez
"You must have been shock?"

Sonia Harris - Mother of Decease
"I was shock yes but I expect that he only got a stab but by the time I reach here he had already die. I came to talk to him but he was already dead. I was really shock."

The tragic episode started sometime around 9:30 on Friday night when Pinelo was involved in fight in front of Los Compadres Bar - which is located just up the street from where he was stabbed.

The police were called and managed to calm the crowd down.

It is said that Pinelo left the area and 3 hours later - returned on a golf cart with 3 other friends to look for his attackers.

On his return he spotted -3 of the guys involved in the first fight - who were standing in front of Rainbow Star Machine and Bar.

That was when Pinelo and his friends jumped out their golf cart and another fight ensued.

One of the men pulled out a knife and stabbed Pinelo in his chest.

Pinelo was working in San Pedro at a Cabinet Shop. His co-worker and roommate told us the last time he saw him was on Friday evening after they got paid.

Haelei Velasquez - Co-worker
"It was Friday just after lunch, we collect our cheque; it was payday."

Monica Bodden
"He told you where he was going?"

Haelei Velasquez - Co-worker
"Actually after we collect our check we usually go to Orange Walk, Corozal or Cayo but he was going home."

Today his grieving mother told us - she is still confused and don't know why someone would do that to her son.

Jules Vasquez
"Why would anyone do something like this to your son?"

Sonia Harris - Mother of Decease
"I don't know."

Jules Vasquez
"If you could speak to the people who did it, what would you tell them?"

Sonia Harris - Mother of Decease
"I would tell them that my son died a horrible death but they find a worse death than that. They will die a more cruel than how my son died because they are chancey."

Pinelo was also known for having run-ins with the law - Just last week he was charged for being in possession of a bladed object after he was searched by police. But according to his mother - he was changing for the better.

Sonia Harris - Mother of Decease
"It hurts me because my daughter lately died. My daughter died about 5 years ago and my son has changed a lot and people don't like when you change because before he use to give trouble but now he has change completely for the better."

Haelei Velasquez - Co-worker
"He was a humble man; he usually would go out and drink a couple of beers and come back home."

According to a police press release which apparently took almost 72 hours to put together three men were standing outside Rainbow Bar, where one of them threw a quart bottle at the golf cart. The golf cart then reversed and all five occupants exited and approached the three male persons. Four other persons exited the bar and joined their three friends. Pinelo was talking to the seven men, where one of the seven picked up a piece of the broken bottle and inflicted a stab wound to Pinelo's left rib cage area. Pinelo fainted on the spot and was rushed to the Ambergris Hopes Clinic by his friends, where the doctor advised that because of the severity of the wound that Pinelo had to be rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He died At 8:20am on Saturday 6th November, 2010

Over the weekend San Pedro Police had 7 men detained for the murder of Leonel Pinelo. This morning 2 of the 7 were released. Charges are expected shortly pending a directive from the DPP's office. The 5 men may be jointly charged for murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

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