Police Receive Post-Mortem Results in Santa Elena Couple’s Deaths

Police have received the post-mortem results for Michael Williams and Delisha Estrada, the couple found dead inside their Santa Elena Town home earlier this month.  Their badly decomposed bodies were discovered on September 14, lying on a bed inside a bungalow in the Hillview area. Relatives went to check the home after the couple failed to collect their child and could not be reached.  At the time, police said the condition of the bodies made it difficult to determine exactly what had happened. Investigators also confirmed that Estrada had previously made several domestic-violence reports involving Williams.  A note and other items were reportedly recovered from inside the residence, but police did not disclose their contents. Investigators therefore waited for the post-mortem examinations before making any further determination.  ASP Stacy Smith has now provided the official findings on how Williams and Estrada died.

ASP Stacy Smith, Belize Police Department: “As it relates to the post-mortem examination that is a part of the investigation relating to the deaths of Michael Williams and Delicia Estrada, at the conclusion of the post-mortem examination for Mr. Williams, the doctor concluded that the cause of death was severe pulmonary edema and they are now awaiting a results from a toxicology report. Then as it relates to Ms. Castro the cause of death has been determined to be blunt craniofacial trauma and it has been ruled a homicide.”

Reporter: Is this being treated as a murderous suicide? 

ASP Stacy Smith, Belize Police Department: “What I can say is that the investigation is ongoing. The result of this post mortem examination has put us closer because as I stated the result from the autopsy is that Mr. Williams died from pulmonary edema and we are waiting to see what is the result of the toxicology report. Whereas Ms.Estrada’s the conclusion in relation to her examination was was blunt for trauma and the indication would be that it may have been inflicted by another person so that is the extent that I will say at this point in time.”

Police are continuing to review the evidence gathered from the scene as they work to complete the case file.  Williams was 31 years old, while Estrada was 21. The couple shared a young child, who was staying with relatives and was not inside the house when the bodies were discovered./