Police report that on Saturday, February 27, they visited Waight Street, where they saw the body of Teddy Roland Murillo, 21, a resident of #25 Nurse Findley Crescent, lying face up in a drain with three gunshot wounds in the lower part of his back, one in the right side of the buttocks, and a gunshot wound in the right elbow.
A serious controversy, however, has erupted over Murillo’s death, with the police without suspects or motive, and with some reputed witnesses alleging that Murillo was murdered by a policeman.
According to the police’s first press release dated Saturday, February 27, Murillo was shot at approximately 3:15 p.m. The release also said that he was walking on Waight Street when he was approached by a vehicle, after which several shots were fired from the vehicle.
In a press conference held at 11:00 a.m. today by the police, Commissioner Crispin Jefferies, however, said that the previous press release sent out by the police on Saturday, February 27, was “inaccurate,” with reference to the time-line.
Jefferies said that further investigations revealed that the shooting that caused Murillo’s death occurred around 1:30 that Saturday morning. Murillo’s body was found by a resident of the area who was reportedly coming home at around 4:10 a.m. The resident called the police, and Murillo was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to Jeffries a burglary was reported on the said morning in the same vicinity of Waight Street, at 3:15, and upon investigating the burglary, they were alerted to the discovery of Murillo’s body. Jefferies also confirmed that one of the officers who had retrieved the body from the drain was the accused.
This was just the beginning of a somewhat bizarre series of events that Murillo’s family, along with witnesses (who requested anonymity), are alleging. According to Murillo’s family, who sent out a press release of their own, outlining Murillo’s last hours, he was murdered by a police officer.
The family said that Murillo, who was a regular member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and a student of the University Of Belize (pursuing his Associate in Agriculture), was at a youth meeting from 7:45 p.m. until 9:20 p.m. at Mount Zion SDA church on Yarborough Road on Friday night, February 26. He then left on bicycle and arrived at his aunt’s (Judith Murillo’s) house on Fabers Road at 9:30 p.m. and stayed there until 10:30 p.m. (then went on Fabers Road), after which he met up with some friends at the BTL Park (next to Princess).
It is unclear what exactly unfolded out at the BTL Park in the early morning of Saturday, but an eyewitness alleged that the accused police officer had approached the victim and the victim’s friends and “cuss and harass” them into moving from the park.
Murillo’s cousin Adrian Menzies reported seeing him at 1:20 the morning in front of the Princess Hotel and Casino.
“He was riding under full speed on his bike; I didn’t even have a chance to roll down my window to say ‘hi.’ He was peddling like crazy with his dress shirt across his shoulder,” Menzies stated.
Other eyewitnesses reported hearing an argument between the victim and the C.I.B. officer, whereupon the victim, calling the officer by his name, said, “Dah no me _____,” after which gunshots were fired.
The witnesses also stated that another officer commented, “Di bwai done know yo name; just finish him off and done.”
Commissioner Jefferies insisted in the press conference this morning that “no specific officer was ever pin-pointed” by any of the witnesses to whom the police had spoken.
Jefferies also said that the officer in question was “never a suspect” in Murillo’s murder, and that if any evidence existed suggesting that the accused officer was the shooter, he would be dealt with (charged with the crime). The Commissioner also said that the police would continue its investigation.
During the interview that Amandala conducted at the Murillo’s residence, it was noted that the accused officer resides on the same street, opposite the family’s house.
At press time tonight, Amandala confirmed with press officer ASP Jones that he didn’t have any updates on the murder, and that no one had been charged up to that time.
Murillo’s family told Amandala that “Teddy’s death will NOT go unpunished. We will pursue this, until we get justice, because he didn’t deserve that; he was a loving boy.”