Carlos Canelo is Murdered in Sugar City

We begin our newscast this evening with the murder of an Orange Walk man on Tuesday night in Orange Walk. Carlos Canelo was shot and killed soon after he arrived at his residence on Monkey River Street where he had been staying for the past few months. He had gone a short distance to get something to eat and returned home, but within minutes, residents heard several gunshots. By the time police arrived, Canelo was already dead. Investigators are trying to solve this latest homicide, as they appeal to the public for information leading to a suspect. Canelo, according to Mayor Ladrick Shepherd, had all the potential of becoming an international football star, but he lost the family support when key relatives passed away and dropped out of the sporting world. News Five’s Marion Ali went to Orange Walk in search of answers for this latest murder. Here’s that report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Twenty-year-old Carlos Canelo kept a close circle of friends but had reportedly become the enemy of someone in the neighbourhood, purportedly over a woman with whom he had established a close friendship. While speculation is rife that this was likely the reason why he was murdered, police are yet to disclose the details and the motive. A resident of Monkey River Street told reporters that she opened her doors to Canelo when he told her some months ago that he had nowhere to stay. On Tuesday night, he had just returned home with food when he was killed.

 

Voice of: Friend

“Ih tell mi ih gone buy burger, come back, sit down out deh. I nuh know who he mi di sit down with, gone da back deh and shortly after me hear bang, bang, bang. When I look, smoke, I can’t see da who shoot ah or what.”

 

 

 

The friend said she froze after she heard the gunshots, and then called out for Canelo by one of his nicknames. When he didn’t respond, she said she knew the situation was grave.

 

Voice of: Friend

“I did holler for ah, “Perro, Perro.” He nuh answer me. That da weh meke it worse. I gone put [on] the flash [light] see ih deh eena wa pool ah blood.”

 

 

 

Canelo’s friend advised him to enter her yard from another property on nearby Rio Grande Street, to avoid an encounter with the person he had the dispute. However, that did not save his life because that individual apparently ambushed him as he arrived home.

 

 

 

 

Canelo was known as a skilled athlete – one that his former coach, Orange Walk Mayor, Ladrick Shepherd believes had the potential to represent Belize internationally. Unfortunately, he did not have the family support he needed to hone his football talent.

 

 

 

Ladrick Shepherd, Mayor, Orange Walk

“He grew up really rough. I know his family. I know his mom. I don’t really know who his dad is, but I know he had some couple brothers. One of his brothers passed away due to illness. And I think that in this situation, they were renting in on Cristock Street with his mom and Canelo was probably adopted by some people tried to adopt Canelo, tried to take him out and assist him, but I think he decided to go on his own.”

 

 

Shepherd told News Five that Canelo eventually parted ways with the sport. The mayor lamented on what he thought could have been a golden opportunity for a young athlete.

 

Ladrick Shepherd

“He played in on the 19th selection for us for Orange Walk and represented us. Well, you know, like I said, this young man had a load of talent when it comes to football. He used to play and a 13 and a and a 14 competition and a 15. And, and like I said, he, he has a lot of friends that admire the way he played. If this young man had gotten the right treatment and in the right school, probably going back to school, I think he would have reached the highest level, even playing semi pro level or even playing internationally. So, like I said, these are the things that we want to change, you know. When you see someone going in that direction, you want to bring them back, but it takes the community effort.”

 

Police have reportedly recovered several expended forty-caliber shells and three slugs from the scene. Marion Ali for News Five.