<p><strong style="font-size:13px;">Today, hundreds of Orange Walk residents gathered outside the police station and magistrate’s court, awaiting the arraignment of persons detained for the sensational and gruesome kidnapping and murder of Ramon Cervantes Sr. The seventy-one year old businessman and farmer was allegedly taken from his farm on the San Roman Road on Tuesday. His body was discovered Saturday evening, in a shallow grave on a farm just off the Honey Camp Road. The death of Cervantes has shocked the community, prompting fear and outrage. That was in full effect today. But we start our coverage tonight with the discovery of the body on Saturday, and the confirmation that it was indeed that of Ramon Cervantes Sr. The News Five team was at Honey Camp early Sunday morning and Mike Rudon has the story.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Mike Rudon, Reporting</strong></p>
<p>A body was discovered by police on Saturday evening, buried in a shallow grave on a farm in the Dublung Area of Honey Camp, less than five miles out of Orange Walk Town. Police and family members believed that it was that of seventy-one-year-old Ramon Cervantes Sr., missing since Tuesday.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As is procedure in these cases, the body was left under guard until an autopsy could be conducted on site. Early Sunday morning there was heavy Police presence on the farm, and we were asked, politely, to leave the premises. Shortly after, police reinforcements arrived and stood guard at the gate of the farm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just after eleven thirty, Police vehicles carrying the medical examiner, the scenes of crime team and a family member for identification purposes arrived on the farm. It was clear from the police presence, including a K-9 unit, that the area was not being treated as just another crime scene. All units headed to an area a few hundred feet behind the farmhouse, out of our line of sight. They had the unenviable task of unearthing the body from its shallow grave. At twelve forty pm, head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch, Assistant Commissioner of Police Russell Blackett approached and spoke to media personnel gathered outside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch</strong></p>
<p><em>“I investigations over the last five days, with a number of leads, eventually along with the Police operations, the MIT, the Anti-Drug Unit, the Orange Walk Police…we hit on a number of intelligence leads and finally yesterday evening we finally got a lead that brought us to this location.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blackett, at that point, would not confirm the identity of the body, since personnel were still working to get it out of the shallow grave. Blackett also would not give too many details about what he called an ongoing investigation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“We have other suspects that we are seeking, and if we say anything about suspects or whatever, he is watching. We must understand that this is a very tedious investigation, and when we uncover the whole truth, the press will know.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>At one o’clock, Blackett again approached the media to confirm, officially, what had been believed, and feared, since Saturday evening.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“Yes it has been confirmed. It is him.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Reporter</strong></p>
<p>“Sir could you tell us…I asked earlier about the state of the body…could you give us an idea? Were there any visible signs of violence on the body?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“Well not so far. There is some decomposition but the doctor presently is doing his examination, and we’ll see where we go from there.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Reporter</strong></p>
<p>“Sir now that it has been confirmed, are Police willing to concede to the media that it was a kidnapping?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“As I say, we don’t have the evidence to prove that. That is something, rumours that you are hearing. We need to continue to investigate and determine at the conclusion what the motive was.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was after three pm when the forensics personnel and vehicles emerged from the autopsy site. The body of Ramon Cervantes Sr. was placed in a wooden casket, pending guidance from the medical examiner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“At the conclusion the doctor would really advise on what to do. I know we would like to hold the body for a day so that they could arrange a proper burial, but again it is up to the doctor’s decision. We have public safety to consider, so he will guide us on that.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The advice was immediate burial, and so the body of former Mayor, Senator, businessman and farmer Ramon Cervantes Sr. was taken from Honey Camp to Orange Walk Town, where he was laid to rest. Hundreds of residents turned out to bid farewell to a man who was an icon in Orange Walk, and the victim of a senseless, vicious murder. Mike Rudon for News Five.</p>
View the full article
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Mike Rudon, Reporting</strong></p>
<p>A body was discovered by police on Saturday evening, buried in a shallow grave on a farm in the Dublung Area of Honey Camp, less than five miles out of Orange Walk Town. Police and family members believed that it was that of seventy-one-year-old Ramon Cervantes Sr., missing since Tuesday.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As is procedure in these cases, the body was left under guard until an autopsy could be conducted on site. Early Sunday morning there was heavy Police presence on the farm, and we were asked, politely, to leave the premises. Shortly after, police reinforcements arrived and stood guard at the gate of the farm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just after eleven thirty, Police vehicles carrying the medical examiner, the scenes of crime team and a family member for identification purposes arrived on the farm. It was clear from the police presence, including a K-9 unit, that the area was not being treated as just another crime scene. All units headed to an area a few hundred feet behind the farmhouse, out of our line of sight. They had the unenviable task of unearthing the body from its shallow grave. At twelve forty pm, head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch, Assistant Commissioner of Police Russell Blackett approached and spoke to media personnel gathered outside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch</strong></p>
<p><em>“I investigations over the last five days, with a number of leads, eventually along with the Police operations, the MIT, the Anti-Drug Unit, the Orange Walk Police…we hit on a number of intelligence leads and finally yesterday evening we finally got a lead that brought us to this location.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blackett, at that point, would not confirm the identity of the body, since personnel were still working to get it out of the shallow grave. Blackett also would not give too many details about what he called an ongoing investigation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“We have other suspects that we are seeking, and if we say anything about suspects or whatever, he is watching. We must understand that this is a very tedious investigation, and when we uncover the whole truth, the press will know.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>At one o’clock, Blackett again approached the media to confirm, officially, what had been believed, and feared, since Saturday evening.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“Yes it has been confirmed. It is him.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Reporter</strong></p>
<p>“Sir could you tell us…I asked earlier about the state of the body…could you give us an idea? Were there any visible signs of violence on the body?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“Well not so far. There is some decomposition but the doctor presently is doing his examination, and we’ll see where we go from there.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Reporter</strong></p>
<p>“Sir now that it has been confirmed, are Police willing to concede to the media that it was a kidnapping?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“As I say, we don’t have the evidence to prove that. That is something, rumours that you are hearing. We need to continue to investigate and determine at the conclusion what the motive was.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was after three pm when the forensics personnel and vehicles emerged from the autopsy site. The body of Ramon Cervantes Sr. was placed in a wooden casket, pending guidance from the medical examiner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Russell Blackett</strong></p>
<p><em>“At the conclusion the doctor would really advise on what to do. I know we would like to hold the body for a day so that they could arrange a proper burial, but again it is up to the doctor’s decision. We have public safety to consider, so he will guide us on that.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The advice was immediate burial, and so the body of former Mayor, Senator, businessman and farmer Ramon Cervantes Sr. was taken from Honey Camp to Orange Walk Town, where he was laid to rest. Hundreds of residents turned out to bid farewell to a man who was an icon in Orange Walk, and the victim of a senseless, vicious murder. Mike Rudon for News Five.</p>
View the full article