SAN IGNACIOTOWN, Cayo District, Thursday, July 15, 2010:

A prominent Cayo family is today making arrangements to lay to rest the body of their youngest child, victim of what police suspect to be an act of suicide.

Benque Viejo police reports receiving the call at 5:44 a.m. on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 of the discovery of an apparent lifeless body at the family home located in the Chial area around mile 71 on Western Highway near the village of San Jose Succotz. Upon arrival police were met by Dr. Eve Cynthia Aird, Belizean educator, President of San Ignacio’s Sacred Heart College and her husband Christopher “Chris” Aird, Belizean, Chief Education Officer, who directed them to an area in the yard, under some trees near a dog house, about 80 feet from the family home where the apparent lifeless body of their youngest child was seen lying face upwards on the ground with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the right side of the head.

The body was identified by the parents as that of their son, Martin Carter Aird, who only 12 days earlier, on July 2, celebrated his 23rd birthday. On the right side of the body police found a small black point 25 Berretta brand pistol with serial number BES31007V. The pistol was found with a magazine containing five live rounds of ammunition. Afurther search led to the discovery of one expended shell and an open cellular telephone, at his feet, with a reported last call to his girlfriend. The body, clad in a pair of blue jeans short pants, long sleeve black shirtwith white stripes and a pair of black slippers,was later transported to the San Ignacio Community Hospital where upon arrival at 7:30 a.m. it was officially pronounced dead by Dr. Fidel Cuellar the medical officer on duty at the time. The legally required post mortem examination was conducted by Dr. Armando Bentancourt between 2:20 and 2:55 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, at the San Ignacio Community Hospital. Dr. Betancourt certified the “cause of death to be intra-craneal and intra-celebral as a consequence of gunshot wound to the right side of the head.” The single bullet is said to have entered through the right temple and exited on the other side producing almost instant death.

Investigators are still attempting to determine where he might have gotten the gun as the family is said not to be holders of any type of licensed firearm. Preliminary investigation revealed that the mother reportedly last saw her son alive at around 10:30 p.m. the previous night when he came home from his shift at Hode’s place in San Ignacio where he had been working for over three years as a part-time waiter since he began pursuing an Associates Degree at Sacred Heart Junior College from which he graduated on June 5, 2010.

Not with standing, he continued working at Hode’s Place during the holidays as he was preparing to enroll in a program to further his education. Reports reaching us indicate that later that night he left home in the family vehicle and the time of his return could not be ascertained. However, police informed that a member of the family is said to have heard the sound of a single gunshot during the early morning hours and that it might have been dismissed as probably someone hunting in the area. It was not until at around 5:30 a.m. when the mother woke up and reportedly saw the front door of the house opened. It was whilst investigating this unusual occurrence that she reportedly looked straight ahead and saw the body on the ground under the trees. The mother’s worst nightmare was realized when she noted that it was the motionless body of her son, bleeding from an injury to the head. She immediately rushed back into the house where she alerted her husband and other relatives of the discovery. It is reported, that Martin had been going through a stormy relationship with a girlfriend of over five years and that there were instances when the relationship would plunge him into a state of depression. Realizing this condition, his parents are said to have sought professional assistance in the form of enlisting the services of Belize’s only psychiatric medical professional, Dr. Claudina Cayetano.

Closest surviving relatives include his parents Eve Cynthia and Christopher “Chris” Aird as well as one brother, Blaze Bradley Aird and one sister, Raine Elizabeth Aird. While the family is making arrangements to lay Martin to rest, the outpouring of support during these difficult times, is said to be tremendous as the constant flow of relatives and friends to the family home continues. The management and his colleagues at Hode’s Place describe Martin as a dedicated and always ambitious person who always took much pride in his job. For our part, we will always remember him as a respectful and mannerly person who was extremely efficient in what he did. We express sincere condolences to Dr. Aird, Chief ChrisAird and the family at the tragic passing of their child. We pray for the eternal resting of his soul.