SAN PEDRO, Ambergris Caye, Mon. Aug. 6, 2018– Carlos “Carlitos” Valdez, 43, a laborer originally from Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Cayo District, who has been living in San Pedro for the past 30 years on Caribeña Street, San Pedro, was found stabbed to death in his room. There were 11 stab wounds on his body, mainly in the chest.
Police say that his assailant, who they identified as Gilbert Anthony Chanek, 32, of San Pedro, was living in the same house, which had been turned into an apartment.
Chanek tried to escape out of the house, but an off-duty policeman, Constable Nestor Campos, who occupied a room in the house, saw Chanek running out of Valdez’s room, and he immediately sprang into action.
Chanek tried to stab the policeman, but PC Campos grabbed him and threw him on the floor. He then asked his girlfriend to bring his handcuffs, and he cuffed Chanek, subduing him.
A police vehicle was called, and Chanek was taken to the police station, where he was charged with murder.
PC Campos said that at the time of the assault, the door was open and he was focused on stopping Chanek from escaping through it.
Today, Monday, Chanek was taken to the San Pedro Magistrate’s Court, where he was arraigned and remanded.
On our visit to the house on Caribeña Street today, Pablo Guerrero, 60, a resident of the house, told us that Valdez had just come out of the shower and had gone into his room, and that he and Chanek were in the hall when Chanek suddenly ran into Valdez’s room and stabbed him in the chest with a knife, without any reason or provocation, and then he tried to escape, but was subdued by the policeman.
Guerrero said that Chanek was a drug abuser and was homeless, although his mother lives in the town but has shunned him.
Guerrero told us that they took Chanek to their house to help him, and he has been living with them for about a month. He said that there was no conflict between Chanek and Valdez, and that Valdez was easy-going and friendly.
Guerrero said that they strongly believe that Chanek is mentally challenged after years of drug abuse.
A doctor had come and declared Valdez dead in the room, and a police vehicle took his body to the morgue.