Orange Walk Cab Driver Stabbed to Death

Police in northern Belize are investigating the murder of a well-known cab driver. Last night, around 8:30, 51-year-old Romualdo Bartolo Vasquez was stabbed to death while on the job. According to reports, Vasquez had gone to drop off a passenger in Trial Farm Village and somehow, got into an argument with the individual. The exchange escalated when the passenger pulled out a knife and attacked Vasquez, stabbing him multiple times.  Vasquez tried to escape but ended up crashing into a light pole.  He tried to exit the car to seek help, but eventually collapsed.  Meanwhile, his attacker fled the scene, leaving behind a stainless-steel knife believed to be the murder weapon. Vasquez was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital and pronounced dead around 10:38 p.m. Love News spoke to a member of the Orange Walk Taxi Association about the incident and the loss of Vasquez, who is well-known in the town. 

Member, Orange Walk Taxi Association: “We look out for each other and things, right? But the news last night shocked us because first we thought that it was an accident, right? We find out that they killed the man in his taxi, you know? So, but the man was a nice person. Always giving us information, this and that you know ? I don’t know why they killed the man for. For a little bit of money. Because we don’t make a lot of money out here.”

Reporter: For how many years has he been working here in the association ? 

Member, Orange Walk Taxi Association: “At least five to six years.”

Reporter: How do you think this will affect the mentality of the taxi drivers ?

Member, Orange Walk Taxi Association: “Well it’ll will make it harder to trust people now. Can’t even trust anyone right now. Because every day he used to bring his kid, his little baby here to feed him and then take him to school and my condolences to the family and his mother. I feel what they’re going through because you know what it is for them to kill somebody that is bringing the bread and butter for a little bit of money or for nothing at all ? You understand me ?”

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams noted that investigators are yet to ascertain a motive for Vasquez’s murder but are following several leads. 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Information so far is that the deceased was in the company of some person in the same vehicle and that person may have inflicted the injuries to him and then fled the vehicle and went about his business. So police are currently actively investigating that matter with a view to see if we’ll be able to identify the person who fled from the vehicle after incident occurred. It can either be a case of robbery or a case of maybe two friends arguing we don’t know who the person is that was in the vehicle with him at the time who escaped so we’ll have to find out who that person is then we will be able to arrive at a more definitive motive.”

Police are yet to detain any suspects.