Police have also made an arrest for a heinous crime committed against another elderly woman. Tonight, 19-year-old Derry Bennett, a resident of Camalote Village, is at the Belize Central Prison after he was taken to court for the murder of Ofelia Hernandez Cruz.
You'll remember her as the 69-year-old Mexican who was killed at her home in the remote area of the Salt Creek Road in Sandhill Village. On Tuesday, August 13th, she was at the house where she and her common-law husband live. Her husband went out on an errand and she was home alone when her neighbors heard the sounds of screams coming from the property. Police found her body right at their front door. Someone had beaten her to death.
Since then, police have been investigating, and this weekend they arrested and charged Bennett with murder. At today's police press briefing, the Head of the National Criminal Investigations Branch told us he is form Teakettle but has relatives living in the area:
ACP Joseph Myvett
"He has relatives living in that area. And was seen in that specific area prior to the incident."
Reporter
"Was it a robbery, was there a robbery or theft element?"
ACP Joseph Myvett
"That seemed to be the case. That there may have been. We're trying to confirm where or not the motive was robbery."
Reporter
"Was there a known reason for him to attacked this elderly woman so viciously?"
ACP Joseph Myvett
"Not at this point."
One more person is still wanted for this murder.
He was arraigned today before Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer. Because this offense is indictable, no plea was taken, and he could not be granted bail. Chief Magistrate Frazer remanded him to prison until his next court date, which is scheduled for October 25th.
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