Photo: (l to r) Brian Castillo and William Carabantes, wanted
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Nov. 16, 2023
The Belize Police Department is seeking two remanded prisoners who escaped from police custody on Thursday, November 16. The duo being sought have been identified as Brian Castillo, 30, of Benque Viejo Del Carmen Town, Cayo District, and William Carabantes, 30, from the San Martin area of Belmopan.
Reports indicated that on the date above, the duo appeared in court in Belmopan for their respective crimes committed, and while on their way back to the Belize Central Prison, they slipped through police custody and made good their escape in Cotton Tree Village.
A dive into our Amandala archives revealed that in November of 2021 Castillo was charged with two counts of murder, for the deaths of his common-law wife Jennifer Archila, 33, and her 12-year-old daughter, Natzia Catzim in their home in San Ignacio Town.
Allegations are that Archila was drinking and she placed a knife to Castillo’s 7-year-old son’s throat, and Castillo attacked her to defend his son. He then fled to Guatemala with his 7-year-old son after the crime was committed, but was captured days later. It was confirmed by cops that the couple had a history of domestic violence.
Meanwhile, for Carabantes, he was accused of raping a teenage girl in 2018. Reports at the time indicated that the teen was hitchhiking from Belmopan to Camalote when the accused, Carabantes, picked her up on a motorcycle and had sex with her in the Valley of Peace Road.
The department described the men as “Extremely Dangerous”.