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Wanted Man Found Murdered Feet From Belize-Guatemala Border
posted (January 31, 2011)
25 year old Efrain Santiago - he was an accused killer who escaped from police in June of last year.

Santiago had been on the run, one of the Police Department's most wanted and information to police was that he was moving between the Cayo district and Guatemala, ranging from Camalote to Arenal, Guatemala.

On Friday night that run ended; Belize police were called to the cross-border village of Arenal where they found Santiago dead, 12 feet from the border line within Belizean territory. He was identified by the tattoos on his back that say Gambino.

He had two gunshots to his neck, but beyond that, no one knows who did it, when or why…Monica Bodden has been looking for answers:…

Monica Bodden, Reporting
The body of 25 yr. old Efrain Santiago was found lying in this patch of bushes with 2 gunshot wounds to the front of his neck.

The area is on the outskirts of Arenal village. The vice chairman, fearing for his life asked to appear off camera.

He told us he was first informed around 6:30 on Friday evening.

Hector Sanchez, Vice Chairman
"I hear some children pass in the road and I heard somebody closer to the borderline between Guatemala and Belize side, but the body was in Belize side. When I heard I came and see how this body looks, but when I reach here I see the Guatemalan police here. The police asked me if I can do them a favor. I ask them how I can help and they ask me to tell the police on Belize side to come and check the body and I went and bring the police to see the body. After that the police say that the body is in Belize side."

Half of the village of Arenal is in Belize, the other half in Guatemala. One village set across 2 countries. Efrain Santiago's body was found 12 feet within Belizean territory.

Supt. Ralph Moody, O.I.C. Benque Viejo
"From the 28th day of January at about 6:40 pm, the Arenal police who are the special patrol unit receive information of a body just beside the border with Guatemala and they responded to the report where they saw a lifeless body of a male person. They then returned back to the station where they informed the Benque Viejo police. The Benque Viejo police then responded into the matter where they saw a lifeless body of a male person known as Efrain Santiago, 25 years of age DOB 7.1.86 Belizean of Belmopan address lying on the ground with 3 what appeared to be bullet holes. The body was processed with the Scenes of Crimes technician and later transported to Belmopan."

25 yr. old Efrain Santiago is no stranger to the law. He had been on the run for 7 months and had been charged for the murder of 34 yr. old Felix Enriquez Martinez-who was found on a feeder road near Benque Viejo- with a single gunshot wound to his nose.

For this cross border village with the population of 650 -they are still shaken up by their first murder.

Monica Bodden
"Now we are standing here on this little picado road by where the body was found. On one side of the road the body was found and on the other side is Guatemala; one side is Belize and one side is Guatemala, so like what you were telling me earlier the neighbors who live across the street from where the body was found, they are actually Guatemalans."

Hector Sanchez, Vice Chairman
"That's why I can't say anything more because I didn't see, and when I came it was already dark. It's hard because we live on the borderline. I cannot question the people of Guatemala about anything about what happen."

Monica Bodden
"So you never went across the street and ask the Guatemalan neighbors if they saw anything? Never at any point?"

Hector Sanchez, Vice Chairman
"Never, this is very strange; this is the first killing at the Belize side. The government has to decide especially with these lands. These lands are very bushy and I want this land to be cleaned because this is private lands"

Many believe the body of 25 year old Efrain Santiago was actually dumped on Belizean territory after he was murdered in Guatemala. Speculations are that Santiago stole a horse from a Guatemala farmer who later found out.

Santiago had been charged for the December 2008 murder of Felix Enriquez Martinez - whose body was found a quarter mile south of Benque Viejo Town.

He had previously been charged for the 2005 murder of David Aguilar in the Belmopan area - which he got off. He was also a suspect in the murder of Vilma Copo. He was never convicted of any of those murders.

On June 23rd, 2010, Santiago escaped from a police pickup while on his way to a court date in San Ignacio. He jumped out of the pickup at a speed bump in Unitedville Village after slipping out of his handcuffs. The escape was never reported by police or the prison but he has been at large since with sightings in Camalote, Rondon and Arenal Guatemala.

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