Killed while drinking with friends in Orange Walk
Javier Ack
There were two murders in Orange Walk last week and this week will end with two more bodies. In the wake of the shooting death of forty-four year old store owner, Sunil Punjabi at his establishment, Lucky Store on Tuesday night, the life of another Orange Walkeno was inexplicably extinguished. Twenty-seven year old Yo Creek Villager, Javier Ack was socializing with some friends in the village when he was stabbed to the left side of the chest and behind his left ear. His body was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Freelance reporter Duane Moody headed north and found out who is suspected of committing the murder.
Voice of: Bianca Ack, Cousin of Deceased
“The last that I saw him was the day before yesterday because he got up early because he was going to work and I didn’t see him after that. So I didn’t see him after that. So I didn’t see him yesterday morning. I only saw him day before yesterday at night.”
Duane Moody
“Just to find out that he was killed.”
Voice of: Bianca Ack
“Yeah.”
Duane Moody, Reporting
Wednesday was the last time Bianca saw her cousin, Javier Ack, who had left home to for work. Less than twenty-four hours later, twenty-seven year old Ack was killed by someone he knew while socializing with his usual drinking buddies under this lime tree located at the rear of the Cocom family residence in Yo Creek. Alejandra Cocom says that the murder is the aftermath of a fight between two friends.
Alejandra Cocom
Alejandra Cocom, Eyewitness
“I reach home around ten past five when I heard that Javier and Amir were arguing something about money. And then I see that ina wah lee while they stop. After it, I gone in and bathe my son and then when I heard, my sister said that somebody had been stabbed.”
Voice of: Bianca Ack
“The time we got to know what happen, it was around six o’clock, six-thirty. My cousin came to tell us because we were coming in from going to ride bicycles, my cousin came to tell us that they had stabbed my cousin and he was dead. And then when I got home, the police officer was here and all he told us was that he needed somebody to go identify the body.”
Alejandra Cocom
“I run dah back and then I see that dah Javier Ack was down on the ground. Only that I see but I neva see who do it. But when I reach, I ask Amir who do it and he told me it’s Dean; they call him Dean.”
The person “Dean” that Alejandra was referring to is neighbor to the Cocoms and friend of Javier, Edwin Castillo; who allegedly went home to get a machete and returned and fatally stabbed Javier.
Voice of: Bianca Ack
“The account that they told us was that my cousin had an argument with another person—somebody that he was always hanging around with—and then it started into a fight. They eventually got separated, but that somebody else—not the person that he was arguing with—went to his house and got a machete and stabbed him. He stabbed him into his heart and he died.”
Alejandra Cocom
“They always argue; sometimes they always argue, but it never reached like that. Nothing reached like that.”
But this time, the drinking led to Javier’s demise. Sister-in-law of the accused, Iris Ramos, says that after the stabbing, Castillo allegedly told them that it was an accident.
Duane Moody
“He was out here drinking with them and he told you that…”
Iris Ramos
Iris Ramos, Sister-in-Law of Edwin Castillo
“He come here to say to his mom, I going to work and then he gone and suddenly I see him pass with a bicycle and when he come over here, he said mom it was an accident and he was finding vehicle to take body.”
Duane Moody
“So he stabbed his friend Javier but by mistake?”
Iris Ramos
“Yeah by mistake. He was very remorseful about it. I know he is a person that is in his five sense, he is respectful.”
Bianca says that despite Javier not having a steady job and possibly hanging out with the wrong crowd, he will always be remembered as a kind and helpful person to the family.
Bianca Ack
“Whatever problems he had it wasn’t all that because when he was at home, he was always helping out however he could. Anything that we needed he would go and buy; would help us with chores around the house and whatever else he could.”
Police have detained two persons, including Castillo, in connection with this incident. Duane Moody for News Five.
Alcohol is an enemy to friendship. This is a story that has repeated itself so often and yet the national pass time among most men is to sit and drink, argue and talk trash. Nothing wrong with socializing with friends, but when men prefer to do that instead of providing for their family it is a sad thing.
I would venture to guess, these young men that were hanging out drinking, saw their fathers do the same thing. This is something that is handed down from generation to generation. If only there could be more men of Belize who try to be fathers instead of lazy baby makers.
They were drinking Strong Rum also known as 3-10.
This stuff is just as bad as Crack Cocaine and should be outlawed in Belize.
So many youths are ruining their lives and addicted to this poison.
They steal from their family and others to buy the little bottle of rum and once hooked you can not stop.
Mr Barrow and Mr Minister of Health, lower your windows on your air conditioned Land Cruisers and look around what the strong rum is doing to the people and STOP IT NOW !
I agree with eye in the sky. I know so many family with this 3.10 rum. We should make a campain to stop the sell of this poison its a shame that kids and old people are diying drinking it. The parks all over the country have at least ten to fifteen of them. They dont care if kids are coming out of school at lunch time.
I’m not a Belizean, but I’ve visited here about 50 times in the last 20 years, and I’ve even tried to invest here. And I consider Belize my second home, so I follow the news at least weekly. This is the first time I’ve felt the urge to comment on a story.
Before I retired, I was a public prosecutor in California, and handled thousands of serious crimes. Of all those cases, including scores of murders, there was only ONE where investigation did not show some connection to alcohol abuse or drugs. People without alcohol or drug problems just don’t kill other people or rob them or rape them.
I don’t know the answer, but I know the problem. Sadly, far too many people in Belize try to find peace/escape/happiness through drugs and alcohol, and they never will succeed. But the attempt is destroying a lot of lives.
RUM IS WHAT DESTROY FAMILIES, ITS DESTROY RESPECT AND SELF ESTEEM OF A PERSON.
ITS SO SAD THAT SUNDAYS WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDER A DAY TO WORSHIP THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR SOME SOME THE THE STRONG RUM, THEIR LORD, MEN THIS SI SO SAD,
YES ITS AS BAD AS CRACK COCAINE AND OR ANY OTHER DRUGS.
WHY CAN’T FAMILIES DISCOURAGE THEIR CHILDREN, OR FAMILY MEMBERS FROM THIS EVIL DRINK, IS SO SAD, REALLY SAD, WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE CHOSE THIS PATH.
My comment above was not intended as a slam on the whole country; obviously, most Belizeans work hard and try their best. But it’s no secret that there are too many people idle, and “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” — especially when rum or drugs are available.
police , ministers, public officials were all over the media last week about quality of life crimes and petty offences, bike riding, public drinking, but as I drove around this weekend. I could see blatant public drinking and nuisance at three Chinese grocery shops, Sunday morning returning from church I was outraged to see a bunch openly drinking in front of Brads at the Farmers market, and of course making disrepectful comments to women passing by. was this only lip service or there is a grace period.