By Charles Gladden
BELMOPAN, Mon. May 23, 2022
Belmopan resident, German Castellanos, 31, was in police custody over the weekend for the alleged killing of his father, 79-year-old Daniel Orlando Castellanos, which took place on Friday night, May 20, at 4 Garza Street in Belmopan, Cayo District.
It has been reported that earlier that night, prior to the deadly incident, German and his girlfriend had a domestic dispute, which caused both of them to leave the home. Moments later, German Castellanos returned home, but by that time his father had locked the door. German then began banging on the door, and it appears that at that point his father went to the door but refused to allow him to enter. Instead, the elderly man told his son to stop making so much noise, as he was going to sleep.
At that point, it is alleged that the enraged son took out a firearm and shot his father several times, then left the house.
At about 12:23 a.m., police found Daniel Castellanos lying face-down in a pool of blood in the living room of the house.
Initial reports from police had pointed to German Castellanos as the assailant who caused his father’s death, but subsequent statements from the police, including recent remarks by the Communications Director of the Belize Police Department, ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, seem to be indicating some hesitation on the police’s part to definitively identify German Castellanos as the triggerman. The department has retracted its initial report in which it pinpointed German Castellanos as the shooter, in light of the fact that a total of 10 persons occupied the home.
“There are about 10 residents in that home, and working with their statements and after seeking the advice from the DPP office, our investigators were instructed to do an in-depth investigation before levying any charges. We want to be absolutely certain that we have the person that is responsible without a doubt so as to do not do any injustice to Mr. Castellanos’s family. So our investigators are at this time recording other statements and hopefully, we could say accurately who is responsible for this crime,” said ASP Yearwood.
“… in not so many words, we are saying when the police believe that they have absolutely no doubt, then is where you usually charge someone, that you believe is the orchestrator of that crime. And at this time, we are sniffing out other probabilities, so that we could get to an accurate account, and then we would be seeking the advice of the DPP office as to which direction we should go,” ASP Yearwood further said.
ASP Yearwood indicated to local reporters that German Castellanos had been in police custody and was to be released sometime on Monday, May 23.
“I know sometime this morning he will be released, and if we need to re-detain him then that will be done. But at this point, we are not going to charge him, so he will be released from police custody,” said Yearwood.
One of the sons of the victim shared today that the family is reluctant to believe that his brother is the person who pulled the trigger, killing their father. He shared that they got some information along those lines last night, but today received information that it may have been someone else so the family is confused. He maintains that he never saw his brother at the time of or following the shooting.