7 News Belize

San Pedro Shopkeeper Killed At The Counter
posted (April 27, 2018)
And going now from a municipality not used to murders - to one that has seen too many for its own liking….San Pedro witnessed another killing last night.

It happened in the San Mateo area of the island town. 25 year old Shop-owner Reniery Figueroa Garcia was killed as he sat behind the counter. Two men came in - not to rob - but to kill a man who his family says kept to himself. Sahar Vasquez found out more from his heart broken aunt.

Sahar Vasquez reporting
Dicky's store is usually filled with customers but this morning it was filled with grief. His aunt still in shock grabbed her dead nephew's cap and held it close to her heart with tears pouring out of her eyes.

Last night Reneiry Garcia told his aunt that he would close his shop early because he was tired but he did not end up doing that. An hour before he was about to close, two men in red hoodies stormed into the store and killed the 25-year-old with two shots to the head. His family can't comprehend why. According to them, Garcia was not involved in the world of drugs or crime.

Voice of Aunt
"We don't know what happened, only some little boys that were on the street saw. They were playing in the street. His brother Patricio found him."

"No we don't know only his cellphone was missing. The money was there only his cellphone was missing. We don't know what is the motive why they killed him."

"No no he spent most of his time here in the shop. He was not involved in drugs. Nothing like that."

He was a businessman that worked to serve his customers. He lent a helping hand to many that could not afford to pay.

Voice of Aunt
"He helped people when they came to his store by giving them credit and tell them to pay when they have money. He said he worked to serve the people."

But the most important thing in his life was his family, especially his young daughter. She lit up his world.

Voice of Aunt
"He was a calm person. He did not have bad habits. He was from work to home. He was a person that kept to himself. He never drank. He only works here at his shop. He did not have enemies. I don't know why they killed him."

"He dedicated his life to his wife and child. He really loved his daughter. He adored his mother a lot. She brought him over here."

At the end of the day, All Garcia really wanted in life was to make a future for his family.

Voice of Aunt
"He was my everything. He used to help with everything. He was everything for us. He used to share with me what he would make because I have two children. He would say "aunt I was a better future for my child because we are illegal here. We are Hondurans we will uplift ourselves.""

Now the floor of his store will forever be stained with the memory of his blood and his home has lost its provider, but his spirit lives on in the hearts of his loved ones.

Our reports say police have detained two suspects along with a bag of clothing which matches what one witnesses saw the assailants wearing. Now, the thing is that one of the suspects is a known associate of one of the island's two major drug gangs. We have also learned that a relative of Figueroa was recently convicted of a drug trafficking charge - so police are looking at that angle.

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