The wee hours of this morning saw the brutal murder of an on-duty security guard attached to Anchor Security Services in Belmopan. Renee Trujillo travelled to Belmopan today to see what answers could be had from this latest homicide.
RENEE TRUJILLO REPORTING
“It was a gruesome scene that the supervisor on duty for Anchor Security, Mr Munnings, encountered at around four o’clock this morning when he returned to the office after making his rounds within Belmopan. His colleague, Richard Noralez, who also goes by the name of Richard McKoy, was lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the office with tresses of his dreadlocks scattered around him, his hand almost severed, the top of his head bearing a chop wound so deep that the crown of his head was evident and his face was disfigured. Munnings, had only been away from the office an estimated forty five minutes and when he left, Noralez was alive and well. Love News went to the crime scene and spoke to the Managing Director for Anchor Security, Gary Gentle.”
GARY GENTLE
“Sometime after four this morning I got a call saying there was an incident at the office and I needed to be here. On arriving here I noticed that a number of police was here. I was made to understand that a worker of mine Mr Richard McKoy or Mr. Richard Noralez, he goes by both names, was killed. He had what appeared to be chop wounds, a lot of what appeared to be chop wounds, there was blood everywhere.”
RENEE TRUJILLO
“Explain to me how that could have happened; it is a security company. Was he the only one on duty here at the time at your office? How did the culprit gain access to him being alone?”
GARY GENTLE
“What happened was that the supervisor was out making his checks, the next officer that was here was moved to somewhere else; so he was here by himself at that particular time.”
RENEE TRUJILLO
“So it wasn’t something that was routine?”
GARY GENTLE
“No. ”
RENEE TRUJILLO
“There is never really just one security?”
GARY GENTLE
“No.”
RENEE TRUJILLO
“So that would leave you to speculate that there was someone in the area just waiting?”
GARY GENTLE
“To me it seems that somebody had inside information, to me, but then again I will leave that to the police.”
RENEE TRUJILLO REPORTING
“When Love News visited the Belmopan Police Station, personnel of the Criminal Investigative Branch were busy taking statements and following leads as they relate to this recent murder. Howell Gillett, the Officer commanding the Belmopan station told Love News that they have made significant progress in this case and he is confident that they will get to the bottom of this incident.”
SUPERINTENDENT HOWELL GILLETT
“Sometime after 5am this morning we received a call of distress and we immediately responded to the scene. We attended that scene and we found a person with multiple chop wounds to the upper part of the body and that person was later on learnt to be Mr. Feliciano Richard Noralez, 60 year old Anchor Security of a Belmopan address. Our investigation has led us to detain one person currently in custody and we have retrieved one of the three items that was stolen; a phone belonging to the deceased, some cash and a firearm believed to be the belonging of the deceased; all were stolen during the incident. So far we have retrieved the phone. I would not to go into the specificities, sometimes they are a bit gruesome for the public’s consumption but I would rather leave it as he was injured to the upper part of the body. We now have one more person that we are looking for, we know who we are looking for and that in my mind will help us to bring this investigation to a close. There are more than one motive but it seems to be a personal feud ending up in a robbery. The person went there for a specific reason but whilst there stole the items that I alluded to just now.”
RENEE TRUJILLO REPORTING
“Gentle, who was more than just Noralez’ employer but a friend as well, told Love News that he was the ideal employee, always punctual and efficient. According to Gentle, the assets of the office were not touched nor ransacked but rather only the belongings of the murder victim were searched.”
GARY GENTLE
“He always carried a bag, a knapsack, always. That was ransacked. What all was taken from there I don’t know. I know that his cash was taken and two cellphones, what else he had in this bag I don’t know but it’s something that he has on him at all times. I wouldn’t believe it’s a robbery. Nothing was taken, the place wasn’t ransacked but then again Mr. Norales didn’t bother anybody. If you don’t speak to him he doesn’t speak to you. He is a cool reserved person, he is a mannerly person. I don’t see why anybody would want to hurt him at all.”
RENEE TRUJILLO
“How was he as an employee?”
GARY GENTLE
“He was always on time, always mannerly, always willing to help. He would reach to work before his shift would start and would leave after work. The kind of worker that you would want.”
RENEE TRUJILLO REPORTING
“Noralez had lived in the United States for the most part and had returned home looking to settle down. Love News understands that he was going through some legal battles with family members over some properties left in a will from his father … but it is yet to be ascertained if that was a contributing factor to this homicide. Noralez leaves behind a girlfriend and a 3-week-old baby. We were unable to reach the girlfriend for comment as she was taken to the hospital for stress related causes. Reporting for Love News, I am Renee Trujillo accompanied by cameraman, Brian Castillo.”
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