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Serrano’s Strange and Startling Suicide Leaves Many Questions
posted (June 5, 2018)
Dangriga Mayor Francis Humphreys and his town hall staff are still trying to come to terms with their loss. As we told you last night, Humphreys' driver, 61 year old Maurice Serrano killed himself yesterday afternoon while police tried to detain him. He shot himself in the head on his front steps. Now is it a situation where he rather be dead than face any allegations or criminal charges for unlawful carnal knowledge? Or was there something else that led him to end his life? There are no easy answers to these questions but Courtney Weatherburne went to Dangriga today to try to put the pieces together in this case. Here is her story.

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Maurice Serrano had been working as Mayor Francis Humphreys' driver for over 3 years.

On most days, Serrano would hang out under this Craboo tree with his colleagues at Town Hall - waiting for the Mayor to call him for a run. The Mayor says Serrano was a one of kind employee - devoted and dependable.

Francis Humphreys, Dangriga Mayor
"He had become not just my driver but a true friend and a loyal faithful soldier."

"We could ask Maurice to do practically anything that was within his ability to get done and it was just for the asking and he would give it his very best. He was one of the few persons I trusted implicitly and explicitly in any circumstance. I would have a difficult time finding somebody who could earn the kind of trust I had in him."

"If I needed him to take me some place at 6:00 in the morning, he would be at my place at 6:00 to pick me up."

Yesterday afternoon was no different, Serrano was under the tree, standing by for the Mayor's instructions. But around 3:30, the police came looking for him at Town Hall. Information is that a report was made against Serrano, accusing him of carnal knowledge of two under aged girls. So when the police showed up, Serrano jumped into the Mayor's vehicle and raced over to his house. The police chased after him. A neighbor recounts the exchange between Serrano and police on these steps and Serrano's final moments.

Voice of: Neighbor
"I saw the police the two police vehicle in front of my house first the police trooper and behind was the scenes of crime vehicle they park in front of my house for a good 15 minutes so I was wondering like what the hell so it was like."

"In the passenger side to the back was a social worker, two young girls one in a uniform and one in casual clothing then in front was a WPC and then driving was male police and they went up the road then they came back, when they came back now the police trooper park exactly in front of his house."

"From there, the two police who were sitting in the front came out, the WPC was the first one walking upstairs, all I heard was what she said in her exact words, young man let me tell you something and from there the gunshot went off."

Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Your understanding is that Mr. Serrano shot himself?"

Voice of: Neighbor
"Yup, that was pretty much it because the two police were not going up armed."

"I was pretty much shocked when I heard the shot went off, then I heard he shot himself, I was shocked because technically that was very much unexpected."

Courtney Weatherburne
"You wouldn't know what would drive him to kill himself apart from this situation with the police and this accusation against him?"

Voice of: Neighbor
"I have no idea what would drive him because it is like you see people they have a smile on their face but you have no idea what is going on in their head."

So Serrano's suicide has startled the community. But regardless of what Serrano was accused of, his boss didn't want to dwell on it. He says he will focus on all the good Serrano had done.

Courtney Weatherburne
"Were you aware that he was accused of carnal knowledge did you have any information to suggest that before you heard?"

Francis Humphreys, Dangriga Mayor
"That is all irrelevant and immaterial now, whatever that might have been is gone, he paid the ultimate sacrifice for whatever. I will not be the person to sully his good name, or to drag him into ill-repute or anything of the sort. That is gone, the good things that he did and gave to this community is what will live on for me and I trust that the community being what it is will likewise follow in those foot steps."

"The loss is profound, it has been shocking and we are grappling with it."

Serrano leaves behind several children.

Because of this very unusual event, Dangriga Police have been forced to close the investigation of unlawful carnal knowledge against Serrano.

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