*Updated Feb. 13*
Guadalajara -
The Toronto Star reported late today that an arrest has been made in the case of two Canadians who were murdered early Sunday morning at their residence in Ajijic, on Lake Chapala.
The Star reported that Julio Cesar Castello Casellas, 31, is in custody, and authorities are searching for his brother, Angel Dejesus, 22. The story, quoting Jalisco state prosecutor Luis Carlos Nájera as the primary source, is here.
The motive for the brutal crime was theft of a new television which the couple had recently purchased, according to the paper. Angel Dejesus, a construction laborer working on a home next door to the two Canadians, saw the TV being brought in, which in turn led to a plan to burglarize the Ajijic residence.
The Toronto Sun carried a similar story, as did the Ottawa Citizen and, within the hour, CBC News Toronto.
At post time no Mexican press source, either local or national, has reported an arrest in the case. The Mexican media, both electronic and print, have carried numerous accounts of the murders this week. The Milenio news network has featured daily stories on the case, including a statement today by Canada's consul in Guadalajara, Francis Uy , who expressed "complete confidence" in Jaliscan authorities and thanked them for "their support."
Feb. 13 - Jalisco attorney general Luis Nájera conducted a brief press conference this morning and confirmed the essential facts stated above. The assailants were surprised to encounter the victims after going to the house early Sunday morning and ended up attacking them, using a kitchen knife found in the residence as one of their weapons. The night before, according to a statement given by Castello Casellas, the two men had heavily consumed alcohol and drugs (a topic which prosecutor Nájera addressed just two days ago). Angel Dejesus, the younger of the two brothers, remains a fugitive and is being sought. Nájera did not explain why he gave Canadian press sources an almost 18 hour lead over Mexican news agencies, but he was obviously anxious to report his success where it counted most.
MGR's thought -
The arrest is good news, and hats off to Jaliscan prosecutors. But the remaining question is one for which there is no answer. How do Lake Chapala residents - or expats anywhere - protect themselves from wandering eyes? Two Canadians forfeited their lives for the utterly trivial reason that they decided to purchase a new big screen TV. They were unaware when they went to bed Saturday evening that observant neighborhood laborers were preparing to take it, with wholly unanticipated results. Yes, it could have happened in Canada just as easily. But it didn't. It happened in safe and secure Ajijic.
May 4 - Chapala records 4th murder of foreign resident in 2014
© MGR 2014. All rights reserved. This article may be cited or briefly quoted with proper attribution or a hyperlink, but not reproduced without permission.
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