Belmopan Families Desperate as Search Continues for Missing Cousins

The families of the two men who vanished without a trace last week have begun to fear the worst as they desperately search for the cousins. On Wednesday, cab drivers Marvin Cantes and John Raymundo left their homes in the Salvapan area of Belmopan and are yet to return. Their relatives say that after several hours of trying to reach the men, they became concerned and made a police report. On Thursday, a vehicle rented by Raymundo was found abandoned with the engine running near mile 25 on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Police say bloodstains were found inside the SUV as well as the house keys belonging to Cantes. Since then, police and the men’s friends and relatives have been combing several areas in the Belize District. Rosa Alonzo, Reymundo’s ex-wife, says the duo never said where they were headed and did not indicate if they were in any trouble. Earlier today, she spoke to us about the family’s concerns and efforts to find the men. 

Rosa Alonzo, Ex Wife of Juan Carlos Raymundo: “We’ve been searching family, friends, close relatives to close friends. Everyone has been searching. We’ve been searching all the little, I’m not sure what they call it, but the little off-roads off of the highway. From Belmopan we’ve been traveling to I think Burrell Boom is where we last went. I’m not sure if some friends are going to Orange Walk and those areas but we’ve been on the Coastal Road, we’ve been to the close rivers, we’ve been from between where they found the car and Belmopan, we’ve been every single where, every little corner everywhere you might think that you know someone can hide something, someone can dump something, we’ve been there. We’ve been inside bushy areas, we’ve been drains, everywhere that would call our attention that maybe, that you know you could hide something there or that somebody could hide there we’ve been everywhere possible and no clue no tip no nothing.”

Reporter: And as far as you know your boyfriend and his cousin didn’t have problems with anyone or anything like that ? 

Rosa Alonzo, Ex Wife of Juan Carlos Raymundo: “Not that we know about. We have all come together and tried brain storming  you know brainstorm maybe someone or if they were behaving like sad or spooked or scared, or if they hugged their kids tighter, or if they have been like hinting that something is wrong and nothing. There’s nothing that would say, okay, they were in trouble and they are like trying to tell us something but at the same time not mentioning much, nothing like normal and that’s why I feel like they were not expecting something like this.”

Alonzo says the family is desperate for any information that can lead to the location of the men or provide police with a clearer picture of what may have transpired. 

Rosa Alonzo, Ex Wife of Juan Carlos Raymundo: “We’re just asking to please search maybe your yard, your farm, anything that you know that you could do a little something to check, something like it. You might think it does make sense to check here but it does make sense. And a prayer, a prayer I know maybe you don’t know them but believe me, a little prayer would do wonders right now, like maybe not for them, but for their family, their friends we’ve been searching with. We, our minds are so blocked now because we don’t know where to search. So maybe just a little hint, maybe you saw the vehicle, maybe you’ve seen their pictures and have seen them, or you know, just a little prayer, something that to you it might not mean much but to the family believe me we’re so thankful for everyone who has been searching. Maybe if you know anything maybe contact the police or even me my phone number is 628-7016 and I have my phone on my hand every day as soon as I open my eyes when I try to sleep a little the first thing I check that my phone. So any tip, any hint, any you don’t have to say who you are, just you know just a hint something that would say okay search because you know just give us something concrete to say okay you need to search that area because such and such. Just something.”

Raymundo is a father of four, while Cante is a father of three.