The search for 25-year-old Jerry Espat ended with discovering his lifeless body on Sunday, October 3rd, near Cangrejo Caye, south of Ambergris Caye. Espat went missing at sea the day before when shooters ambushed him and three partners as they fished for conch. Police have reportedly detained one person and are looking for other suspects.
The other three fishermen attacked include 27-year-ok Luis Enrique Santoya, 23-year-old Ricardo Anthony Espat, and 26-year-old Kirian Espat.
According to the police report, the fishermen, from the San Pedrito area of San Pedro, were out fishing when they were approached by two boats carrying several men. Santoya reported that one of the men from the approaching boats pulled out a firearm and fired several shots towards him and Ricardo. As a result, Santoya received a gunshot wound to his body, below his left knee.
Another male person on the other boat also took out a firearm, and fire several shots were fired towards Kirian and Jerry Espat who dove into the water. Kirian was grazed to his right cheek and abdomen. Jerry, however, was reportedly fatally hit in the head. Santoya and the other two fishermen managed to get away from the area in their boat, pursued by the gunmen.
In San Pedro they sought medical assistance and a search team headed back to the Cangrejo Caye area to look for Jerry. The search continued on Sunday and his lifeless body was found around 9AM near some mangroves. San Pedro Police visited the said location where they observed the motionless body of a hispanic male person dressed in gray boxers and wearing a pair of diving fins.
The body was retrieved from the water and observed with apparent gunshot wounds to the body. He was officially identified by his father 46-year-old Anthony Espat. The body of Jerry was transported to the San Pedro Polyclinic where Dr. Fatima Olive pronounced him dead at 10:59 AM. The body was swabbed for COVID -19 with a PCR and Rapid Test. Afterward, the body was transported to the San Pedro Town Morgue, awaiting a Post Mortem Examination.
Kirian, Ricardo and Santoya were treated at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II. Kirian and Ricardo were treated and released, but Santoya was airlifted to Belize City for further medical treatment.
The shooting death of Espat is the first of the year for Ambergris Caye.
