7 News Belize

Two Killings in Concepcion
posted (February 3, 2020)

It was a tragic and brutal weekend for the northern village of Concepcion, two men in their 30's fatally stabbed in unrelated incidents. 

Cherisse Halsall travelled to the Corozal district to find out about 37-year-old Juan David Mendez and 34-year-old Daniel Cano. We start with Mendez, who after a hard day of work was looking forward to sharing a few beers with his brother. 

The first of the killings happened on Saturday night. Daniel and Juan David Mendez were heading home when they met with a friend near their neighborhood store. He asked to appear off camera

Daniel Mendez - Brother of the deceased
"We are coming and the murderer met us and joined together with us and walked at home right When I reached home me and my brother and him the man said he wanted to try to fight with me he wanted to try me right and then he started to punch me and kick me but I was defending myself in that time my brother went he said I've already had my beers I'm going to sleep, and he went to sleep in his hammock and then he heard the voice because I told the man; Calmate, Calmateâ€Â¦,right" And then my brother came out and he didn't think, he didn't talk, he just punched the man and the man took the piece of the knife and juked my brother by his heart under the ribs here under his abdomen and then my brother started to bleed and I started to shout to take him to get help right. I went to the neighbours and touched many doors and nobody came out. And then the man took the bike because he has a purple bike, he took his bike because he thought that would be the evidence and then he said I will kill you. And at that point, I had to leave my brother and run into the bush in order to defend my life because the man would kill me too with my brother."

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero - NCIB
"Investigations revealed that his brother checked on him on that morning and found him motionless on the ground with a stab wound. An investigation has been conducted, one person is in custody and is expected to be charged sometime today."

The brothers knew that their friend always carried a weapon but they never thought that he could turn it on them.

Daniel Mendez
"He always has his weapon, he always has a knife and a machete, always he has a knife in his pocket. It was for anyone ho wanted it he said. The knife I think is the evidence that caused the blood but he didn't have blood. I was more covered in blood because I hugged my brother."

Juan David used his last breath to confront his murderer.

Daniel Mendez
"When the man injured him my brother told the man you injured me; Ya me jodistes only that my brother could say before he went weak. I started to hug him the man stayed on the out of my yard."

And today as Daniel Mendez built his brother's tomb he told us that he fears his brother's assailant might return to silence him.

Daniel Mendez
"I fear for my life because the man said that he ill come to kill me because I think that he says that I am the evidence to not say anything to the law or something, but I fear for my life because I live alone. I think in this time I have to trust the police because I can't take the law into my on hands I have to trust that they will do their best, that they ill try their best to make this man pay for what he has done."

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