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Reward Being Offered!

Flowers and candles were placed to respect the memory of the late Maria Plaza Gomez

Pedro's, in conjunction with Ambergris Daily, is offering a reward of $1,000.00Bze to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person involved in the murder of Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez. Anyone interested in joining this effort can kindly contact Pedro's or the Ambergris Daily. So far San Pedro Police have two persons detained for questioning of the murder case.

A Weakend TS Tomas Still a Grave Danger to Haiti

From Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog (www.wunderground.com)

    As this record-breaking third busiest Atlantic hurricane season in history unfolded, I marveled that earthquake-ravaged Haiti managed to dodge significant rain-making tropical storms throughout the peak months of August, September, and October. Cruel fate will not allow Haiti to escape the entire season unscathed, though, as a late-season November storm already proven to be a killer--Tomas--takes aim at Haiti.

    Tomas has struggled mightily over the past few days, and is now a tropical depression. However, even if it does not reach hurricane strength, Tomas is still likely to bring heavy rains capable of causing disastrous flooding in defenseless Haiti. It doesn't take much rain to cause a flooding disaster in Haiti--ordinary seasonal heavy rains have killed 23 people in southern Haiti over the past month, including twelve people in Port-au-Prince this past weekend.

    According to the Associated Press, most of last weekend's deaths occurred when surging rivers burst through houses built in ravines. With the soils already saturated from last weekend's rains, the stage is set in Haiti for a significant flooding disaster capable of causing heavy loss of life.

    I believe it is 30% likely that Tomas will stay far enough west of the Haiti earthquake zone so that rains will be limited to 1 - 4 inches to the region, causing only modest flooding problems and little or no loss of life. More likely (40% chance) is the possibility of major flooding due to 4 - 8 inches of rains. Finally, I expect a 30% chance that heavier rains of 5 - 20 inches over Haiti will cause catastrophic flooding like experienced in 2008's four hurricanes. Potential flooding disasters are not possible just in the earthquake zone, but also in northern Haiti and the southwestern peninsula of Haiti. So, keep praying for the people of Haiti, they need all the help they can get.

Actor Charlie Sheen's Belize Drinking Spree

PHOTO (credit: flashcity.com):

   A report coming in from the Huffingtonpost.com and Life & Style is that celebrity TV actor of “Two and a Half Men” Charlie Sheen was spotted in Placencia, Belize where he embarked on a drinking spree just one week after leaving court-mandated rehab. The star has become a media spotlight after exhibiting a crazy lifestyle of alcohol and drug abuse.

A Life & Style's press release reports the following:

    An eyewitness reveals to Life & Style that Charlie Sheen had fallen off the wagon much earlier than his recent NYC bust. In fact, the Two and a Half Men star embarked on a booze-filled binge in exotic Belize just one week after leaving court-mandated rehab.

    After flying into the tropical village of Placencia by private jet on Wednesday, Oct. 6, Charlie hit local bar, Cozy Corner, early the next day with some friends. The actor spent the afternoon hours guzzling tequila and beer while watching a playoff baseball game on TV.

    By Friday evening, Charlie was hosting a rowdy party with two male friends and six women at one of Francis Ford Coppola's lodges. "There were already at least 15 partially empty or empty wine bottles. Charlie's drink of choice was Jack Daniels on the rocks," says the eyewitness, noting that two to three bottles had been emptied before midnight. "Charlie had a rainbow of girls with him. They were there with a purpose to party."

    Even as one raucous female guest smashed a full wine bottle over a railing, Charlie encouraged the debauchery. "Everybody started laughing and Charlie yelled to the bartender, 'More wine!'" says the witness. "He was heavily intoxicated."

    The local resident tells Life & Style that Charlie partied through the night. "His eyes were as closed as they can be. He's professional at this. This is his lifestyle. He had definitely been drinking the whole trip."

The Cozy Corner in Placencia

Mosquito Coast Park Updated Pictures

The San Pedro Lions Club has been working arduously ever since a set of playground equipment was donated to the Club. Its erection started a few weeks back at the Mosquito Coast Park, south of San Pedro Town. Here we see that the first slide has been completed and children already enjoying it. Lions Club members and volunteers are taking time off their weekends to continue working on the assembly. It's a great addition to the park and we thank the Lions Club for their hard work and Holy Cross Anglican School for the donation.

Missing Person Found Dead

 

    On Sunday, October 31, San Pedro Police received a report that a female flight attendant of Maya Island Air Regional had gone missing. And shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2, police found the lifeless body of 37-year-old, Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez.

    Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez arrived in Belize City on Friday, October 29 and told the rest of the flight crew that she would be spending the night on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. She checked in at the Corona del Mar Hotel and went out for the evening. 

The body of Maria being removed from the murder site and transported to south end of island for the autopsy

    It has been confirmed that Plaza Gomez was seen on Saturday night at the Holiday Hotel Halloween Party and on Sunday morning, October 31, she told hotel employees that she was going to confirm her return flight for 2:00 p.m. at the airstrip. A surveillance camera at the hotel captured Plaza Gomez leaving the premises at around 7:58 a.m.; she then stopped at the Ramon’s Village gift shop where she made a purchase and around 10:00 a.m. she reconfirmed her flight to Belize City at the Maya Island Air airstrip office.

    After leaving Maya Island Air, Plaza Gomez walked back towards her hotel. News Five interviewed Mr. Arnulfo Escobar, a fruit vendor in front of Ramon’s Village, who stated that he saw Plaza Gomez with a tall Caucasian male who had long hair and carried a backpack. After she made a purchase at his fruit stall, Plaza along with her male companion, continued in the direction of her hotel south of town.

    That was the last time Plaza Gomez was seen and when she did not make her flight back to the city and didn’t show up to work, Maya Island reported her missing. San Pedro Police along with Maya Island Air personnel commenced a search for Plaza Gomez and on Monday, November 1, the community of San Pedro came together distributing fliers with Plaza’s picture and posting them on lap posts around town and conducting a search around the island.

    Three days after her disappearance police intensified their search and on Tuesday, November 2, shortly after 3:00 p.m. police stumbled upon the body of a female in a bushy area of a private lot located on the beachfront area which is off an alley that connects to Coconut Drive. This location is just a block away from the hotel where she was staying.

Bushes under the house's veranda where the lifeless body of Plaza Gomez was found

  Maya Island personnel were quickly informed about the finding and the area was blocked by police as the area was quickly filled with onlookers. The lifeless body of Plaza Gomez was found in a bushy area under the veranda of the building covered with a floating device. The building is occupied by local businessman Mr. Dennis Sunderman.

    It was confirmed to us that the body was found in a preliminary state of decomposition and was partially nude. Plaza Gomez was wearing a white tank-top blouse with dark trousers and her blouse was pulled up to her neck and her bra had been pulled down, exposing her breasts. There were many visible bruises on the body including bite marks.

    It was about 6:00 p.m. when Dr. Mario Estradaban, coroner of Belize, arrived to the scene along with a forensic team of investigators. The lifeless body of Plaza was removed from the crime scene at about 8:15 p.m. and was taken to an isolated area south of Ambergris Caye, in the Boca Ciega Area, where Dr. Estradaban conducted an autopsy. The body was later transported to Belize City via the police boat where Dr. Estradaban will continue his investigations.

    Plaza Gomez was violently tortured, assaulted and brutally murdered; she was not raped. Dr. Estradaban’s findings confirm that Plaza Gomez was killed at the place where she was found and the gruesome murder occurred on Sunday, October 31 sometime between 12 midday and 2:00 p.m. Police reports and Ambergris Today research confirm that this is the first murder case of the year.

Police blocked off beach front area to conduct their investigations

Beachfront home where the body of Maria was found

Police and special constables await the recovery of the body

Forensics officer Arian Jones and Special Constable Karim Maroun enter the crime scene

Resident of house talks with Police Officer

 

 

Pictures of the Crime Scene the following day

 

Update Breaking News

 Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez

San Pedro Police have discovered the body of Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez on the beachfront along coconut drive at 3:30pm. Belize City Forensic is being flown to the island to perform the autopsy.

Belize Lions Zone 59 grant $10,0000 US to Hurricane Richard Victims

Press Release

The Belize Lions Zone 59 is pleased to announce the disbursement of a grant of US$10,0000 to be used for relief supplies to the victims of Hurricane Richard. The money was secured through the Lions Club International Foundation (LCCIF) Disaster Relief Fund which is available to any district or zone after a disaster.

    Immediately after the passage of Hurricane Richard, The Belize Lions Zone 59 expressed to the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Barrow, that as a service organization inn Belize, we were ready to assist in bringing some immediate relief too the victims of hurricane Richard.

Following the announcement of the initial assessment of the damages, The Zone Chairman, Baldemar Graniel, immediately contacted Lions International and provided them with the necessary documentation to secure the grant. On Monday November 1^st, LCIF contacted the Zone Chairman to inform him that the monies have been approved and ready for disbursement.

LCIF has a board-established grant criterion and emergency grant funds must be used only to provide basic necessities such as food, clothing, blankets, bottled water, and medical supplies for those affected by the disaster. Because monies must be utilized by the Lions, thee organization will be working very closely with the Government of Belize, through the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMMO), in identifying areas that are more in need. In the immediate days ahead, the Zone Chairman, Lion Graniel will be consulting with the Presidents of the Club to work out a methodology of disbursing relief supplies.

The LCCIF grant will complement the efforts of various other Lion s Clubs following the aftermath of Hurricane Richard. The Lions Club International Foundation, along with the Belize Lions Zone 59, continues to pledge its full support to all those Belizeans affected by Hurricane Richard and we remain committed in making our community and country a better place to live. On behalf of the Belize Lions Zone 59 and the people of Belize, we also wish to thank LCIFF for awarding us with thee much needed grant.

For more details please feel free to contact Zone Chairman Baldemar Graniel or Zone Secretary Jorge Aldana. 

Contacts: Zone Chairman (501) 610‐2489, 

Zone Secretary (501) 634‐1171 or (501) 662‐0143

Maya Island Regional personnel missing in San Pedro

Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez

 A female flight attendant of Maya Island Air Regional has gone missing and reports are that Maya Island personnel, along with Tourism Police, have been conducting a search for 37-year-old, Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez, Spanish national that went missing on Sunday, October 31.

    Reports are that she arrived in Belize City at 1pm on Friday, October 29 and told the rest of the flight crew that she would be spending the night on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. She checked into Corona Del Mar hotel and went out for the evening.

    Reliable sources stated that she was last seen on Saturday morning as she told hotel employees that she was going to confirm her return flight for 2:00 p.m. at Maya Island Air; this happened at 10:30am. Plaza also went on a diving trip and was last seen at a local bar, and while she did confirm her return flight earlier in the morning she never made it on the plane.

    Her belongings, including her passport and money, were left in the hotel room and the Maya Island staff along with San Pedro Tourism Police have launched a search for Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez.

   If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Maria Antonia Plaza Gomez, kindly contact the San Pedro Police Department at 226-2022.

 Last camera footage of Maria leaving her hotel

San Pedro Delivers Materials and Fund for Hurricane Victims

    A group of local Island residents traveled to Belize City, on Monday, November1 to Belize City and represented the community of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye as they made a donation to the Government of Belize towards Hurricane Richard victims.
    Elito Arceo, Osmin Rodriguez, Councilor Pablo Ico and Jan Brown, organizing members of the San Pedro Hurricane Relief Fund, visited the studios of Love FM in Belize City where a radiothon was being carried out for the hurricane victims. On hand to receive the donation on behalf of the Government of Belize was personnel from the Belize City Red Cross.
    The delegation from San Pedro handed over a purchase receipt of $21,383.00 from Benny's Home Center which included materials of plywood and zinc and a check to the amount of $5,000.00 to be used for the purchase of food and water. Benny's Home Center was very kind to offer a great discount for the materials purchased and San Pedro extends a big "Thank You" for all their help.
    A Belize Bank account is still open for the collection of donations as the fund collecting group in San Pedro is still expecting some more donations to come in. Donations can be made at the Belize Bank under the "San Pedro Hurricane Relief Fund". Thanks to everybody who made donations.

Venezuela donates to hurricane relief efforts

Belmopan, November 1, 2010 The republics of Venezuela's charge d' affaires donated 1200 bottles of purified drinking water, 48 cases of tuna fish, 48 cases of chicken sausages, 48 cases of sardines, 12 cases of cereals and 24 cases of klim powdered milk to the National Emergency management Organization (NEMO).

Public Officers and Volunteers Clean Up Belmopan

Minister of Public Service and Belmopan Area Representative, Hon. John Saldivar says he and his ministry are extremely pleased at the turnout by public officers and volunteering citizens who came out over the weekend to join in a cleanup effort called by Mayor Simeon Lopez and the Belmopan City Council in conjunction with the Area Representative and the Ministry of Public Service.

Over 50 public officers and volunteers participated in the cleanup effort which took place mainly on Saturday October  30, 2010. Ad the cleanup crew moved from yard to yard, and from street to street, residents came out in the carious neighborhoods and joined in. By the end of the day, a good number of streets and neighborhoods were cleared of debris and completely cleaned up.

 Elito Arceo is interviewed by Rene Villanueva at the Love FM Studios in Belize City

 Mr. Sean Feinstein of Benny's Home Center facilitated a great discount on the purchase of supplies

San Pedro delegation hands purchase receipt and check to the Belize City Red Cross

Saga Halloween Fundraiser

The Saga Humane Society held its annual Halloween fundraiser on Sunday, October 31, at BC's Beach Bar and Grill that allowed pet owners to join in the Halloween spirit with their pet palls. Pet owners had the opportunity to dress up their dogs and cats to compete for wonderful prizes collected by Saga. On the beach there were plenty of games that involved both the pet owner and their pets, including raffles and music by the famed Rompe Raja. It was a fun-filled day for everybody and another successful event for Saga.