Amandala spoke with one of Fido?s employees, Elizar Cancharan, who found Antonio. Elizar said that he arrived at work around 5:50 a.m. on Tuesday and began shouting for Antonio, who would normally meet him at the beachfront area of the restaurant. He became suspicious when he heard no reply from Antonio.

According to Elizar, he knew that something was wrong, because when he would not meet Antonio near the beachfront area of the restaurant, Antonio would normally be seen seated at a table at the front along with his dog, and listening to a small radio.

Elizar said that he saw Antonio?s nightstick, which was the only weapon with which he was usually armed, on the table along with the radio. The dog was not there.

Elizar was making further checks around the restaurant when he saw Antonio in the entrance on the floor of the waiters? waiting area. Elizar said that he went closer to the area to make sure that it was Antonio who was lying face down on the floor, when he saw the dog walking around him.

Antonio was wearing the navy-blue shirt that was his uniform, and a red rag was tied around his face.

Elizar said that he quickly ran to Mayan Princess, about two buildings from Fido?s, where he alerted another security guard to call the police.

Fido?s head of security, Steven Valencia, told Amandala that Antonio had been working at Fido?s for seven months. He said that their security guards were not armed with guns because they did not want the tourists to feel intimidated.

According to Steven, Antonio was a very nice person, and the robbers may have taken advantage of that. He said that Antonio must have spoken with his attackers and then a struggle ensued.

Steven said that a few chairs were out of place, and Antonio apparently was hit in the head with a crowbar, about four feet in length, weighing approximately seven pounds.

Steven said that when he had arrived at Fido?s, Antonio?s feet were tightly taped together with masking tape, and his hands had been handcuffed with his own handcuffs. Antonio?s mouth had been stuffed with cloth napkins, and also taped with masking tape. His face had been hit with the crowbar, which badly bruised it, and his jawbones were broken. He had suffered a severe hit on the right temple, and big gashes were on Antonio?s head.

Steven said that the robbers then went upstairs to the offices, located on the same side of the restaurant where Antonio was found. Strangely, the keys for the offices were still inside Antonio?s pocket when police got to the scene.

According to Steven, the crowbar that was used to hit Antonio was also used to pry open the doors of the offices. The accountant?s office had been broken into, and from that office robbers had gained access to the manager?s office.

Brandon Boyd, Fido?s general manager, told us that a very heavy safe that was set inside a corner of the wall had been dragged out. It is believed that about two or three persons had to remove the safe, because it was so heavy. The robbers then pried the door of the safe with the crowbar and stole US$6,000 and BZ$2,000, a total of BZ$14,000.

Steve said that Brandon?s United States passport was also stolen from the office.

According to Brandon, the robbers did not take anything else, although there were other valuable items inside the office where the safe was located.

Antonio was transported to the Lion?s Clinic in San Pedro, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem conducted on the body yesterday at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital revealed that he died from asphyxia due to suffocation.

Bruce Boyd, co-owner of Fido?s, told us that they are posting a $5,000 reward for anyone who can assist the police with information that would lead to the apprehension and conviction of the robbers.

The restaurant does not have surveillance cameras. Bruce said that it used to have, but when the building was reconstructed the cameras were stolen.

Bruce said that they are planning to have the security guards carry firearms to protect themselves, and for better security of the establishment.

Fido?s will also keep Antonio?s wife, Albertina Almendarez, and her two children on the payroll for six months on full pay, and the following six months on half pay. The establishment will take care of all the funeral arrangements.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, at the St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in Corozal Town.

Antonio is survived by his wife, Albertina Almendarez, daughter Kerona, 2, and son, Emile, 4.

No one has yet been detained for Antonio?s murder.