So that's the wrinkle late this evening – and we'll have more on it during the news, but all weekend long, just like everyone else, we've been trying to wrap our heads around it. There are so many angles to this case and that's primarily because the accused is a mystery man – and one with lots of money, and this tentacles run deep into politics and law enforcement. He goes by many names, but we'll start with William Alexander Mason. That's the name on the birth certificate for a Guyanese man who is believed to be named Danny Ouelette – or he could also be Canadian Ted Ouelette, or he could be Belizean William Ferguson…those are all the names this man went by. And if that makes your head spin – it's only the start for a man who claimed to be a vet, a pig farmer, a property developer, heck, he even said he was a chef – and he wasn't just talk, William Mason owned a mansion and a huge 160 acre ranch, among other valuable assets.
He had been in Belize for at least three years, but on Friday, this alleged con man was wanted by police for questioning – not in relation to the Llewellyn Lucas murder – which the cops knew nothing about, but because he had extorted some major Cayo businessmen for over a hundred thousand dollars each; more on that later, but first, to his arrest. A police officer came upon him on Friday in Belmopan City at a bar, he knew Mason was wanted and proceeded to initiate a search of his pickup. At a press conference this morning, the acting commissioner of police explained what happened next:…
Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"He was located at a bar in the city of Belmopan and when a search was conducted this is when we uncovered in a sack within a black colour bucket the head of Mr. Lucas. When the investigator arrived Mr. Mason explained that he could not find his key and he was very nervous. Hence the reason his driver side window glass was broken; search conducted. During the course of the investigation we uncovered that 4 other persons were also involved and by 4 am Saturday morning the 16th, all persons were taken into custody. An intensive search of his farm situated at mile 31 on the George Price Highway and his home on Intelco Hill in Belmopan was searched simultaneously for any evidence we could find. But what I want the nation to understand very clearly is that he was being sought for the purpose of an investigation. You will see while at this time they have been charged for one count of murder, one count of kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnapping. There will be other charges flowing through the week on other investigations that had been carried out. So you will then know that what I am saying is the facts and how we came upon this head. Had it not been conducting this investigation and was tracking this man trying to locate him; there is a possibility we would have been investigating a missing persons' report."
Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News
"You all made any progress in finding a body?"
Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"We searched the farm and we found what appear to be burnt remains of a body as given to us during our interviews. That has been sent to the forensics for analysis."
Geovannie Brackett
"Will DNA be used in this with what apparently to be burnt remains to match it with the head?"
Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"Yes sir we have done extensive evidence gathering from all the scenes and I must tell you buckets, tapes, sacks and we are even going to call in the expert who is here visiting with and working with the forensics from outside to reconstruct the scene with him and go over it but everything was taken; clothing, footwear, everything that could lead to and give us some forensic answers to this."
"He was last seen alive about 1pm on Friday. We know he was taken to the farm on the George Price Highway where he was murdered and decapitated. During the course of our investigation we have uncovered that he was stabbed then decapitated."
Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News
"Acting Commissioner would you be able to speak about the motive, if you all have discovered a motive for the crime?"
Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"So far we understand that there were some transaction being going on between these people and it appears that there was a fall out. What we see basically is this guy might have wronged them in some way and this is why the extent of what occurred, occurred."
Email
Print