Man Fatally Struck with Shovel During Land Dispute in Caye Caulker
A night meant for gathering and relaxation on Caye Caulker has left an island community in shock. Police say a dispute during a Saturday night hangout on the north side spiraled into deadly violence, ending with forty-five-year-old Oscar Flota being struck and killed with a shovel. His death, one of four recorded nationwide over a brutal weekend, has rattled residents and reopened concerns about simmering tensions on the island, even as family members mourn a life cut short. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon
Britney Gordon, Reporting
On the quieter north side of Caye Caulker, tucked away from the island’s busy tourist hub, a close-knit residential community usually enjoys a slower, more peaceful pace of life. On Saturday night, the peace that residents have come to know was shattered when forty-five-year-old Oscar Flota was brutally killed. According to reports he had been socializing in the area when a dispute erupted between him and the perpetrator, quickly escalating to violence. Eyewitnesses say that Flota was struck in the head with a shovel, leading to his fatal injuries. Now, all that remains on the scene in the blood on the ground from where he was struck. Police have detained several individuals and are seeking another suspect. According to ASP Stacy Smith, the incident is being treated as a death investigation due to the violence that unfolded prior to his death.
Stacy Smith
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“What had been learned so far in the investigation is that Mr. Flota was in a group of several male persons socializing when an argument and a physical confrontation ensued, during which Mr. Flota was struck to the head with a shovel. He was transported for medical attention; however, he subsequently passed. At this point, it is a death investigation because for murder, there has to be an intent to kill and an absence of someone acting in self-defense. The indication that we have received so far from the statements that are on file, it suggests that there was a physical altercation. If the investigation shows that the force use was excessive or there was an intention to kill, it will progress to that. However, where we are now in relation to the statements that we have was that there was a physical altercation between the deceased and the person who is being sought and so that is the status as of now.”
Originally from Orange Walk, Oscar Flota made a life for himself on Caye Caulker, moving there with his son and earning a living in construction. Family members say he was a dedicated provider; his niece, Mariel Moh, remembers him as a hardworking man who always put his loved ones first.
On the Phone: Mariel Moh, Niece of Deceased
“He was very good person, he always likes to provide for his family. He would never turn his back on his family. He was there. He was always smiling, a funny person.”
Police say alcohol was a factor at the time of the altercation, but Flota’s family insists that was never a reason for violence, describing him as non-aggressive even when drinking and maintaining that no argument justified the loss of his life.
On the Phone: Mariel Moh
“When he’s drunk, I would say he’s not an aggressive person. When he feel drunk he always find his way home to go to sleep. But as a far as I know, he was not aggressive. Sometimes people judge because of alcohol this person die but we don’t know the reason why this person did what they did.”
According to one Caye Caulker resident, the perpetrator is a local squatter and alleges he had been engaged in disputes over land prior to the incident, however, police were not able to confirm these reports.
Reporter
“Are the suspects known to police?”
ASP Stacy Smith
“Not to my knowledge. I believe all these persons were familiar with each other. They worked together so it was some drinking and socialization gone wrong and as I stated, we know who we’re looking for and we are of the view that he will be apprehended shortly.”
Now as the family grapples with the devastating loss, they are calling on the police to use all resources available to bring the killer to justice.
On the Phone: Mariel Moh
“We just want justice. For police to do their job and find the persons who did it.”
Police say they are reviewing camera footage from the area to aid the investigation and make a formal arrest. Britney Gordon for News Five.
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