A father of two was executed at his Teakettle home on Friday night around midnight. 34 year old Clifford Matute was home alone when two gunmen pounced on him and shot him with a shotgun. His family knows the pain of losing a loved one all too well, Matute is the 3rd sibling to be murdered. I spoke to his aunt who was like a mother to him. Here is that story.
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Residents found Clifford Matute's shirtless bloody body thrown in his back yard -He was shot and killed on Friday night.
Voice of: Resident
"When we heard gunshots, we were already in bed so we heard 3 gunshot and when we heard the 3 gunshot we got up, we open our door you see the guy them run on a motorcycle and we come across and we meet him on the ground, my husband come over here, get a flashlight and we find him on the ground an that was it."
They called the police and word quickly spread to his family who were in Belmopan that night.
Bernette Gongora, Aunt
"So I call the next brother, Clifford brother and asked him where he is, but he was crying so he tell me he was in Teakettle."
"So I ask him if it is true they shot Clifford and he tell me yes so I tell him I am coming up there right now and so when I went up there I see all the police and people there."
Now it is unclear what Matute was doing prior to being shot. Some reports are that he was home alone on his verandah when the two gunmen shot him and he ran to the back of the house and collapsed. But his aunt isn't so sure exactly what happened.
Bernette Gongora, Aunt
"Well I am not really sure what he did or how he was home because normally when he is at home he keeps inside and closes the door he doesn't hang outside so I am not sure what happened with that that night."
Matute's aunt says that he usually goes to her food shop to wait for his girlfriend so they can go home together but he stayed home instead on Friday night. The motive behind his killing is also unclear. His aunt says it might be linked to his past deeds but his grieving family is left to wonder.
Bernette Gongora, Aunt
"Well so far I no hear he is involved in anything in his later days when he lived down here, I know he was going through some hassling and thing but like 5 years ago they moved from here and went to Teakettle. To me they were changing their life but right now I don't know if he has problem with anyone in these times, I don't know."
"I no think I could forget him because I am like his mom because I raised him, we raise him and thing and everyday he comes to eat at my place, everyday afternoon he comes to eat at my place for his food here and if he doesn't come in the afternoon he comes in the evening and stop in and he call me tia, I come eat or like that and I save his dinner for him and every weekend he is always with me."
Matute's brother, Derry Bennett was shot and killed in February 2002 in Roaring Creek, his other brother Dean Bennett was burnt alive in his Roaring Creek home in March 2012 after culprits set it on fire.
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