There was quite a commotion at the San Pedro Police Station as an inmate was found dead this morning, Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Friends and relatives of the deceased gathered outside the Police Station waiting to see their loved one and to get some questions answered in regards to his death.
According the Belize Public Relations Officer, Mr. Rafael Martinez, San Pedro Police received a call from the Phoenix Resort stating that a male person with a machete was acting in a disorderly manner and disrupting the peace in the area. The male person, Miguel Martinez, was apprehended by the resorts security guards and then handed over the San Pedro Police Station on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at about 5:00a.m.
Miguel Martinez was then placed in a cell, where according to San Pedro Police, he was acting in a disorderly manner and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. After a short period of time the noise stopped and upon making checks, police found the motionless body of Martinez on the floor of the cell. Dr. Javier Zuniga was called to the station and after several attempts to revive him but to no avail, Martinez was pronounced dead at about 8:00 a.m.
But relatives are not happy with the police accounts and are waiting for the post mortem results. Father of the deceased, Mr. Emmanuel Diego, related to Ambergris Today that he is not convinced that his son just dropped dead at the cell. Mr. Diego also stated that his son’s pants were found thrown outside of the police compound and that raises even more concerns as to what could have happened to his son.
San Pedro Police removed the body from the cell around midday and was transported to Belize City for a post mortem to be conducted on the body. Police investigations continue.
UPDATE: While family members of Martinez stated that he was in good health a post mortem concluded that the cause of death was acute lung failure due to high alcohol and drug consumption.
