7 News Belize

Teenager’s Body Found Floating in A Mangrove Swamp
posted (November 8, 2019)
That morning's search ended just before midday, and less than 3 hours later, police received a call from a civilian who said that he saw a body on the other side of the highway, further down from the bridge. They responded, and after they retrieved the body from the mangrove swamp, Kent Brooks Senior was quickly able to identify the body as his missing son, Jaswant.

It's the tragic end that the family was hoping wouldn't come, but which they were mentally preparing for. After police removed the body from the crime scene, we spoke with Jose Espat, who helped with the search. Here's what he and the victim's aunt had to say about the devastating discovery:

Reporter
"A body was just retrieve, is that the body of Jaswant Brooks?"

Jose Uk Espat, Private Investigator
"I cannot confirm as yet, because I haven't seen the body. The body has been taken to a postmortem to the Boom facility - that's the medical school. From the beginning when the young man went missing, Mr. Brooks and his family contacted me before they contacted the police. I met with them at the Princess and I formulated a plan forward. We started to canvass to investigate. We had an information come forward to us."

Laverne Olivera, Aunt of Deceased
"The way I see him swollen up, we would have had to see him, because we drove slow. We combed the area and we didnt see anything."

Reporter
"So, you believe someone put it there because they wanted you guys to find it?"

Laverne Olivera
"I believe that it just come there. Between last night and sometime this morning that just come there because we combed here and we didn't find nothing. Mr. Espat didn't leave us. He was always with us from the time me missing him. My cousin called me and we didn't know what to do. We just feel sad. We know he is not a child that gives trouble. He didn't have any run in with the law. He doesn't have any charge, nothing. So when he went missing we knew there was something with him, because he doesn't stay out. So it was so strange. Only Mr. Espat came to our rescue."

Reporter
"Did you get a chance to see the body to confirm that it is your nephew?"

Laverne Olivera
"No, but his father confirmed that it's his son."

Reporter
"Did they share if there was any injuries to that body?"

Laverne Olivera
"The father says that he had a gunshot in his head."

Shortly after the cops finished their work at the crime scene, Superintendent Alejandro Cowo, the Head of CIB in Belize City, briefed the press on what they know so far:

Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division
"This afternoon sometime after 1:30, police received information of a body seen by the Burton Canal Bridge. As a result we proceeded there where the body was observed inside a mangrove. We got assistance from the coastguard and we managed to fish out the body from the mangroves where it was identified by the family members as that of the missing person Jaswant Brooks."

Reporter
"Was there any visible signs of injuries he suffered?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"Yes. There was an injury that was noted at the back of his head."

Reporter
"Do you guys know from what specific weapon?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"No. I cannot tell you at this moment. We have to wait for the postmortem which will be done tomorrow morning. It's a matter that we are still following. We are following up on the very day that he was reported missing, so we will continue with the investigation."

Reporter
"Sir, is it believed that he was murdered that same day that he went missing?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"There is a possibility based on the state of decomposition that the body was found."

Reporter
"The area where he was found, is that an area where you have searched before?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"No. We were not in that area. We were on the opposite side of the highway because we had received information that possibility that the body was by Burton canal or by Cisco."

Reporter
"What has the investigation showed so far as to why Jaswant went missing?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"Well, we have spoken to several persons and we know that he is not a person doesn't have any record and doesn't mingle with anybody. The reason why he went missing and what happened to him is something that we are yet to find out exactly as to what happened."

Reporter
"There are many theories around on the street- maybe a possible connection to another crime that was committed. Was he ever a person of interest in anything that you have investigated?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"No. His name has never been called out to any investigation but we know about that rumor and we are following that lead."

Reporter
"Could this be the possibility that the persons who killed Mr. Brooks was trying to send some sort of message to friends or family of his?"

Supt. Alejandro Cowo
"It is something that we have to look into. As I tell you the investigation is still ongoing and we will see what else we can get from there."

We note that information has come to us outlining an elaborate theory about who murdered Jaswant, and what was done to dispose of his body. Police will have to determine if there is any credibility to that information. It is unclear why he was targeted, executed and dumped.

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