Intruder killed during a home invasion in rural Cayo District

A man is dead following a foiled home invasion early this morning in Blackman Eddy Village, Cayo District.  According to Police, 25-year-old Sergio Nigel Andino of San Ignacio Town, was one of two men who forcibly entered the home of three elderly persons and attempted to rob them.  The incident occurred this morning at around one o’clock.  Police responded to a distress call and upon responding to the crime scene, they found Andino lying motionless inside the house with chop wounds. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  Initial investigations indicate that three family members, 70-year-old Patricia Ireland, 65-year-old Nadia Ireland, and 57-year-old Eustace Emmanuel Ireland, were sleeping when two male intruders entered their home. One of the assailants was armed with a handgun, and the other with a machete.  A struggle ensued between Eustace and the intruders. During the confrontation, Nadia Ireland reportedly managed to disarm one of the culprits, seizing the machete. In an act of self-defense for herself and her family, she used the weapon, inflicting injuries on the assailant, who was later identified as Avelar. The second intruder managed to escape.  A relative of the three victims spoke to Love News who explained how the men gained access to the house.

Relative: “Underneath the house there was a small step ladder which they put to a window that was partially open. From that window they gained access to inside the house which apparently is two persons or two males one with a firearm and one with nothing else. Held my first Tia hostage and then told her not to say anything or make any noise, this was the gunman. But now she didn’t listen she did say something and apparently my other aunt heard the situation came out side to check what was going on found out that there was someone in the house. Immediately they started struggling where she did call for her nephew and a commotion ensued and while that the gunman exited the house leaving the unarmed assailant inside the house. While the gunman was exiting he fired three shots through the window which caused the damage inside and outside but I’m not able to see inside the house but this is as far as I know.”

As it relates to the death of one of the intruders, the relative says it is unfortunate that it had gotten to that but supports his aunt defending their home and property.

Relative: “Somebody got killed and when these things happen whether it’s for good or bad it’s a life and it need attention whether it’s good or bad. Whether it’s the bad guy or the good person. In this case it was the bad guy which I’m grateful for but things would have been a lot worse. So at this point in time I’m happy that my family survived the ordeal with minimal hurt. It’s your property and being in your property I would always think that you will do so, fight for your life because it’s my property, it belongs to me I’m not borrowing this and it doesn’t belong to anyone else you have no right in my place so why would I give you this place? I would have done what she had done anyway to put up a good fight and she did and I’m grateful for that because probably if she didn’t do that the thing would have been changed and someone else would probably have gotten hurt.”

Love News has been informed that one of the residents was hit in the head but is in a stable condition.  Police are on the lookout for the second intruder who ran away but not before firing two shots at the residents who escaped without injuries.