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Robbery or revenge?

GeneralRobbery or revenge?
Well-known Orange Walk businessman and reportedly the father of 2, Rodolfo “Boxie” Perrera, 37, was pronounced dead on Saturday, January 7, at around 9:30 p.m. at the Northern Regional Hospital, after he was ambushed and shot multiple times in front of his home on Oleander Street.
   
According to several persons living within the proximity of his home, shortly after 9:00 p.m. they heard the loud, echoing sounds of at least 12 shots being fired, which were at first mistaken for firecrackers.
   
We were told that on the night of the tragic incident, Perrera had left his family’s business place, New Chito’s on Cinderella Street, and was heading home in his Isuzu Trooper.
   
One reliable source told us that Perrera was excited that night as he rushed home, saying he and his wife were going to do some cooking.
   
But as Perrera stepped out of his vehicle to open his front gate, leaving the engine on, he was ambushed by two men, who apparently came in off the street.
   
After they shot him, the men left the scene.
   
Apparently, all twelve shots heard actually caught Perrera’s tall, strapping body, since Orange Walk police have initially reported that twelve gunshot wounds were observed on his corpse. In particular, one man who said he ran to Perrera’s aid while he was on the ground, said he noted gunshot wounds to his head and abdomen. 
   
Perrera was the only surviving child of his parents after his one and only sister was lost to cancer in 2008. His parents are now entirely bereft of their children.
  
Perrera’s killing follows a sequence of unfortunate events that began on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31.
  
On that New Year’s Eve night, Perrera’s close relative, Renan Briceño, Jr., 32, a marketing officer for Speednet Communications, was allegedly involved in a shooting incident with Dale Tillett, 19, and Brandon Tillett, 25, and some other men at the Palm Island Night Club, located on Mile 2 on the Northern Highway.
  
Reportedly, Briceño went to the club as an overseer of an event held there that was sponsored by his company, SMART! Apparently, a dispute erupted in the club between Briceño’s associate, a man whose name was not mentioned by police, and some men in the club, and the men followed Briceño and his associate outside.
  
Police say that that was when Briceño pulled out his licensed firearm from his vehicle and fired at the men, who refused to leave him and his associate alone.
  
Dale suffered gunshot injuries in the back of the head, while Brandon was shot in the foot.
  
Shortly after the Palm Island shooting, another shooting occurred in the “Pregnant Alley” area of Belize City, a couple blocks from George Street. Reports are that someone “shot up” the area, but no injuries were reported.
  
Shorty after that shooting, that same New Year’s Eve night, just before dawn, a young boy, Aaron Pope, 9, was killed at around 4:30 as he slept at his George Street home. Police have not yet detained anyone for his senseless killing.
  
Five days after the Palm Island shooting, on Thursday, Dale Tillett, died at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after he was taken off life support, and on Friday, January 6, the charge of attempted murder against Briceño was upgraded to murder.   
  
At press time tonight, we were told that police have four people in custody, whom they are questioning in connection with Perrera’s murder. 
  
His family, at this time, did not wish to speak with the media.
 
The police, for their part, do not seem to want to label the murder as a “revenge killing,” telling another section of the media that jewelry and other personal items were stolen. They did not elaborate on what those “other stolen items” were.

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