For the past three days, scores of Orange Walkeños have religiously gathered in front of the Orange Walk police station demanding that charges be filed against the culprits who were allegedly responsible for the death of former senator and community leader Ramon Cervantes, Sr., 71, and today, while they were preparing to launch a protest to show their discontent at the fact that no one had yet been charged for the murder, three of the suspects who had been detained in connection with the crime were marched over to the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court around 5:30 this evening, where they were arraigned for the sensational kidnapping/murder.
The men – Guatemalan national Noe Daniel Gonzalez, 22; Mateo Pott, 28, a Belizean mason of Trial Farm in the Orange Walk District; and Angel Antonio Cardenas, 19, a Belizean construction worker, also of Trial Farm – were escorted to court under heavy police guard. They appeared before Magistrate Merlene Moody and were read joint charges of murder, keeping a firearm without a gun license (for a 12-gauge pump action shotgun with an unknown serial number), and keeping unlicensed ammunition (for five 12-gauge cartridges that were allegedly found in their possession).
Since the charges are indictable, no plea was taken from the accused, and they were all remanded to the Belize Central Prison until August 13, 2014.
The suspects are believed to be part of a kidnapping ring that viciously bludgeoned Cervantes, Sr. to death before putting his body in a shallow grave on a farm situated about three and a half miles down the Honey Camp Road in the Indian Hill area of Orange Walk.
The primary suspect, Manuel Castillo, 37, also known as “Pelon”, who has been accused by police of being the ringleader of the gang, was also named on the charge sheet, although he is currently on the run and is believed to have absconded from the country with his girlfriend.
Furthermore, two police officers are reportedly detained for possible involvement in the kidnapping and murder, although they were not taken to court today.
Cervantes, Sr. was abducted from his cane field on the San Roman Road in Orange Walk last Tuesday, July 1.
His family became suspicious after he did not come home for lunch at 12:00 that afternoon, and when they contacted him, he was reportedly acting strange and speaking in an unusual tone of voice.
His corpse was discovered four days later, on July 5, partially decomposed and buried in a shallow grave near the Honey Camp Lagoon on the outskirts of Orange Walk Town.
The sensational slaying of the former Orange Walk mayor, former senator, and former Orange Walk East standard bearer for the People’s United Party (PUP) has left Orange Walkeños in shock, and has sparked outrage among residents of the community, as he was considered an icon who left an indelible mark on the very tightknit northern town through his contributions, especially to politics and sports.
Community members held a candlelight vigil in his honor late this evening, parading from the Banquitas House of Culture near the Orange Walk Police Station to Central Park in downtown Orange Walk Town.