La Popular bakery, located at the corner of Sarstoon and Logwood Streets, Belize City, was the site of a murder, which is suspected to have occurred sometime on Saturday, March 19.
At around 1:00 this morning, the body of a La Popular employee, Albert Lopez, Jr., 25, a baker of Guinea Grass Village, Orange Walk District, was found lying face up on the stair of the bakery’s second floor building by Antonio Barredo, an employee.
Barredo came to work at that time, 1:00 in the morning, because the bakery begins work very early.
According to someone who saw the body, there was a 2-inch cut behind Lopez’s head.
When police processed the scene, Lopez’s body had already been transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where it was pronounced dead on arrival.
Lopez, the father of two, had lived at the business for the past ten years with his wife, Lorena Lopez, in the building’s third floor.
On weekends, however, the family of four travel to Guinea Grass and return to Belize City on Sundays for another week’s work. Lorena also worked at the bakery.
This weekend, as was customary, Albert, Lorena and the children were to travel to Guinea Grass on Saturday.
The family usually left together, but on this particular occasion, only Lorena and the children left; Albert stayed in the city. He was to follow – but he never did.
According to police, the last time Albert was seen alive was on Saturday along with Obed Davila; no time is given, however.
A person living in the vicinity said that someone was shouting for Albert late Saturday evening, but that the person left when Albert did not respond or come downstairs.
It was not until early this morning, Monday, two days later, that his body was found.
Lorena, who knew nothing of her husband’s death, arrived in Belize City with the children at around 10:00 this morning. Lorena had only been told to prepare for the worst, but Lopez’s death was not revealed to her until when she arrived at La Popular, by the owners of the business.
Lorena apparently did not want to talk to us, but we were told that she had attempted to contact him during the weekend, but he answered none of her calls.
Accompanying the investigators at the crime scene was the owner of the business, Ariel Santana, Lorena and Lopez’s father, Albert Lopez, Sr.
Lopez, Sr., said the news of his son’s death has devastated him. He said Lopez was his one and only son. He confirmed to us that nothing had been stolen from his son’s third floor home, and he had no visitors, as far as they could tell.
Albert, we are told was fond of drinking, and that he had been drinking on Saturday. The allegations this morning was that he might have fallen, but Lopez, Sr., told us he believes that his son was murdered.
We understand that his family was told that he had money, but that when police searched Albert’s wallet, they said they found no money.
The 3-storey building is securely fenced, and to access each floor, a key is needed, we were told.
Santana told us that he did not wish to comment on the incident.
Later, it was business as usual at La Popular bakery.