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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Police blocked off beach front area to conduct their investigations |
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| Beachfront home where the body of Maria was found |
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| Police and special constables await the recovery of the body |
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| Forensics officer Arian Jones and Special Constable Karim Maroun enter the crime scene |
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| Resident of house talks with Police Officer |
Pictures of the Crime Scene the following day
19 comments:
such a sad situation and in broad daylight.
now we will see who the US will post a warning for - if for
Americans travelling to Belize or vice versa!
I positively cringe (with cold chills going up and down my spine) when I think of how many times a day (during my last visit) I walked past the very spot where this young woman was murdered.
I hope and pray that the monster who did this is caught.
I'm tired of people acting like this can't happen in broad daylight. Horrible people do these things whether it's night or day. Rapists do this to all types of women. It doesn't matter if they're walking alone at night or in broad daylight.
I hope the police catch this waste of space soon. More importantly, I hope they actually care enough to stop things like this happening.
I'm tired of people acting like this can't happen in broad daylight. Horrible people do these things whether it's night or day. Rapists do this to all types of women. It doesn't matter if they're walking alone at night or in broad daylight.
I hope the police catch this waste of space soon. More importantly, I hope they actually care enough to stop things like this happening.
. Could be due to the high growth all along the property.This area has been KNOW to POLICE as HIGH drug traffic and holdups.Yet no police on duty or patrol at all. Save our Isla from crime put out more foot patrols.So sad ....Sorry for thr family and friends of the young women.
its so sad what is happening in san pedro...fuking gringo must have killed her,raped her ,turtured her,sick gringo hope the police ketch ah,or he must y done gone from the island already..i hope y no finish like many cases that just finish like nothing happened,GOB DO SOMETING.its too many inocent lives gone across the nation without justice being done.
I am strongly Disturbed when the images run through my mind that day. As a young teenager I was running along that same evening and came to find out such a catastrophe!! All I can say is whoever did this was a hardhearted indivual with no life standards whatsoever!
And since there is music near by on sundays it would have been hard to hear her scream! what a tradegy! I hope they find the American male companion he is the key to this murder mystery!
I would like to make it clear that she was not raped. She was just badly beaten. This came from the forensics report.
i along with d previous teeneger was runnin by that...scares me cz i always run by that n cum ot tru dat same lil alley all the time...i guess il excercise home from now on...all my curse on d murderer n hope they find him n he rots in jail!!!!!!!!
I hope this sicko is caught soon. Unfortunately if he is a visitor, he is probably long gone. Maybe a call could be made to all hoteliers to report names of any guest over the weekend that fit that description to the authorities. Same for Airlines. This was clearly an act of insanity!
I do hope the murderer is caught. Can't believe people like this exist in our Island. These are things that only happen on movies. If the killer did not raped her then what was the motive of killing this innocent woman? What did he use to kill her? Is it possible that no one heard this woman screaming for help?
We need more Police presence. It is outrageous how the San Pedro police is understaffed. The Government of Belize should give Ambergris Caye at least twice the number of police officers with the number of people that are here!
this area has been REPEATDLY BEEN AN AREA FOR SEX DRUGS AND ROBBERIES DO U KNOW THIS HOME HAS BEEN BROKEN INTO 10 TIMES? NOW SHOULD NOT THE TOWN BOARD PUT UP A LIGHT ON THE BEACH AT LEAST ? DONT U THINK THEY THE POLICE THE TOWN BOARD SOMEONE SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO THAT AREA TODAY??????????????????????????????/ NOPE THE AREA WAS HARRASED BY CIVILIANS LOOKING TO SATISFY THERE CURIOUS SICK MINDS, WILL THIS ISLAND EVER GROW UP?
*tisk tisk* what a thing, murdered for no reason.. hope the heartless person gets catched.. and to think we were going to have a clean murder record for 2010
I'm very sad to hear that such unnecessary tragedy happened. I would like to point out that I am an American married to a "gringo" and we love Belize and it's people. I never read that this was an American who did this but no matter where this person came from, it was just a result of pure evil. Belizians are in our prayers.
As a female who grew up on the island and lived in this same area it saddens me to see how unsafe it has become here. I used to walk this area of the beach alone all the time. Whichever "gringo" did this is obviously a disturbed predator. If San Pedro wishes to remain a fun place to visit and "party" then it must increase security measures accordingly. My prayers to all involved.
I pray and hope they find that sick bastard whoevr did such a mischevious perverted act to that poor innocent woman. my heart and prayers goes out to the family and friends of that poor victim. i hope justice will be served such sick pervert should be turture to death or better yet be hanged by the neck. Our Government needs to do something for this country and move on it fast.
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