BELIZE CITY, Mon. Mar. 21, 2022– A woman was murdered in San Ignacio, Cayo, on Friday night, March 18, while waiting for her husband inside their car while he was getting an order of tacos from a nearby vendor.

According to initial police reports, at around 8:10 p.m. that night, 34-year-old Gurmeet Mangat, an Indian national, arrived at a tacos stand near the San Ignacio Hotel on Buena Vista Street in San Ignacio Town in the Cayo District in his red Toyota Tacoma, along with his wife, 29-year-old Ramandeep Mangat.

Gurmeet Mangat reportedly parked at the corner of Buena Vista and Apollo Streets and proceeded to leave his wife inside the vehicle as he stepped out to order tacos. A few moments later, Gurmeet heard his wife screaming, and when he turned around, he saw her trying to exit their vehicle. When Gurmeet ran to her to render aid, she was already outside on the ground bleeding profusely from apparent gunshot wounds.

Ramandeep Mangat was transported by her husband to the San Ignacio Community Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Initially, police had detained Gurmeet Mangat and questioned him about the mysterious cirsumstances surrounding the murder of his wife.

“I wouldn’t say that it is the only source, but usually a murder of this nature, we want to clear the person who was with the victim last before you know which other direction to go. And I am certain that he was only detained for questioning to clear up whatever the investigators believe could put him in the clear. We had to begin somewhere, and that’s why we began with the husband to see if there was anything there other than what he reported to the police. Like I said, it’s 8:00 in the night; they [have] parked a little distance from the actual stand, but I know our officers were out there that night canvassing trying to get whatever information they could to see how we can solve this one,” explained ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director of the Belize Police Department.

There is no confirmation at this time that the sound of a gun being fired was mentioned in Gurmeet Mangat’s report.

“I’m only presenting what the investigators have sent to me. So far, they’re saying he heard a scream, his wife scream; that’s what he’s claiming. Well, logical thinking, unless of course there was some form of device adapted to the firearm use, at the end of the day, I will not go any further into it, because then I will be speculating. [As] I said, I presented the facts to you that [was] sent to me, and until I get a report, then I can comment on the remainder of that,” ASP Yearwood told local reporters.

ASP Yearwood also did not indicate whether Gurmeet Mangat was still in police custody and if he was cooperating. Also, he did not provide an answer when asked if Mangat owned a licensed firearm.

It is expected that a postmortem examination on the body of Ramandeep Mangat will assist police in determining what kind of weapon was used to commit this murder, as no expended shells were found at the scene.