There was an especially violent murder in the Orange Walk District over the holiday weekend and it has cops puzzled.
The victim is 30-year-old Abner Novelo, who is originally from San Jose Village. Residents tell us that about 2 months ago, he became the caretaker of a farm located off the Yo Creek Road. Sometime before last Saturday morning, someone ended his life and his short tenure at the farm by killing him with gratuitous violence.
Our news team has been following the story for most of today, and Daniel Ortiz has this report:
On Saturday morning, 30-year-old Abner Novelo was found dead here at Raul Cuello's farm, on Lindo's Road, which is located less than a mile off the Yo Creek Road.
Novelo was the caretaker of this property where cattle, horses, chickens are being raised. But sometime during the start of the holiday weekend, his life was cut short in a very violent way uncharacteristic of this serene environment.
Someone shot him and chopped him multiple times as a sort of overkill to ensure that he had no chance of surviving this attempt on his life.
This spot on the compound, which was covered with dirt and sawdust, is where he was left for dead.
ACP Joseph Myvette - Head, NCIB
"On Saturday last, sometime around 9 a.m., Orange Walk Police were called to an area on the Yo Creek Road. Upon arrival, they observed a male person motionless, who was later identified as Abner Novelo, 30 years-old, of a San Andres Road address in Orange Walk Town. What the police know so far is that Mr. Novelo is the watchman of the farm that he was found on. And he was found in the yard, or on the compound, some 15 to 20 feet from the building. At the time, he had chop wounds as well as apparent gunshot injuries."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you all have any indication if he had been tortured before he was killed?"
ACP Joseph Myvette
"None at this point in time."
The location of this farm is somewhat remote, and there are no immediate neighbors who could have been possible witnesses. So, these elements are currently increasing the difficulty for the investigators as they try to solve Novelo's killing.
ACP Joseph Myvette
"So far, we have not been able to establish a clear motive. No one, at this point, is detained. We are following several leads, and the police continue to investigate this matter."
And while the cops have no suspects at this early stage, they currently believe that Novelo's murder has a drug connection.
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"The murder in orange walk is an isolated issue and we believe that it is drug-related. I don't see it as something the police could have prevented..some fallout over drugs and that is what led to that murder in the north."
We approached Novelo's grieving family for comment, but they told us that they are unable to discuss his murder at this time.
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