Three San Marcos Men Charged After Machete Attack

Three men from San Marcos Village in the Toledo District have been arrested and jointly charged with aggravated burglary in connection with a machete attack reported on May 17th by Orlando and Marcia Makin.

Pablo Muku, Edward Muku, and Verhenio Pop were taken into custody on May 29th after the Makin family publicly complained that police had failed to act despite a formal report being filed.

Edward Muku entered a guilty plea and was fined $800 plus $5 in costs on each charge, payable by July 31st. He faces eight months in prison if he fails to pay. Pablo Muku and Verhenio Pop both pleaded not guilty, were granted bail, and their case has been adjourned to July 14th for disclosure.

The charges stem from an incident on May 14th in which a group of men entered the Makin family home and attacked a member of the household with a machete, wounding him on the neck, while threatening his mother. At the time, police transported the injured man to the hospital but made no arrests. The family’s son, Mario Makin, spoke with News 5 almost 2 weeks later, saying known suspects were still walking free and that his mother no longer felt safe in her home.

The case has drawn controversy after conflicting accounts emerged from the family and village leadership about what happened and who was responsible. Juan Caal, secretary to the village Alcalde, told News 5 that while the chairman’s brother was involved in the incident, it was an act of self-defence and that village authorities had referred the matter to police themselves. The Makin family, however, disputed that account, with Mario Makin alleging that the influence of local leadership may have slowed police response.

A separate house fire reported in San Marcos Village the night before the arrests remains under active police investigation.