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Thursday, March 28, 2024

World Down Syndrome Day

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Murdered for his own bicycle!

CrimeMurdered for his own bicycle!
Abel Thomas, 22, of an Amara Avenue address in Belize City, was finishing up a night on the town with friend and fellow construction worker Jose Mena, 25, at Newtown Barracks on Sunday morning.
 
Thomas, having just dropped off Mena at his home on Iguana Street and headed for his own at 4:15 a.m., could not have then known that in the next few minutes, his life would suddenly end – because two dark-skinned men wanted his beach cruiser bicycle.
 
Mena told us today that he heard noises from down the street, which turned out to be Thomas shouting for help, as the two men ganged up on him further up Iguana Street.
 
Mena wasted no time getting back on his own bicycle, and riding to his friend’s aid.
 
But the robbers saw him coming and one decided to take to his heels.
 
Mena dropped the bike near his friend and took off after him on foot. Despite keeping up for 50 meters, however, he was neither able to catch the man or get a good look at him.
 
Giving up, Mena decided to return to his friend’s side. But while still a distance away, he saw the remaining robber take out an object and thereafter heard a gunshot, upon which Thomas fell to the ground. The robber then turned and pointed the object at Mena, who ran.
 
A few minutes later, he returned. The robbers were long gone, along with both bicycles, but Thomas’ body remained, with a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.
 
Thomas was officially pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m. at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
 
The two men had worked together at Matus and Matus Construction at Mile 3 on the Northern Highway. Thomas had been there for about 10 months prior to the incident.
 
Today, his family said they were thinking about returning to their native Guatemala to get away from the violence in the city streets.
 
Thomas’s uncle, Miguel Sucuqui, who raised Thomas at Amara Avenue since he was 12, told Amandala today that his nephew was no troublemaker, and that he had no idea who would want to kill him, except for his bicycle.
 
Sucuqui, first heard the news from his sister while across the border for the weekend. He confirmed that Abel was not drinking at the time of the incident, and described him as an athlete who loved life.
 
Police have announced no suspects at this time.

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