Arrest Made in Santiago Rajo Murder Case

Police have arrested and charged 22-year-old Jermaine Joseph Cruz, a Belizean construction worker from the Cayo District, for the murder of Santiago Rajo, which occurred on February 9 in Teakettle Village.

Rajo, a church leader at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was fatally shot while trying to protect his brother, Tomás Rajo, and his wife during a robbery in the early hours of the morning.

Witnesses reported that three masked men, armed and speaking English, demanded money and valuables before attacking. Concerned residents have called for increased police presence amid rising violence, with Rajo’s wife, Rosa, expressing frustration over the ongoing threat of crime in the community.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero, reported that police believe the motive behind the attack was the theft of a motorcycle.