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Island Tour Guide Murdered On The Job; His Guest Was Silenced

And, our next story is about a Sunday afternoon double murder that has shaken up San Pedro and could have very serious implications for the tourism sector.

A tourist who had gone fly fishing was murdered when the local guide he went out with was targeted for an execution at sea.

It happened on Sunday morning in the San Pedro Town lagoon when 53 year old tour guide Mario Graniel was returning from a tour with fellow 53 year old Dr. Gary Swank. Swank was a visitor, staying at a home on the north end of Ambergris Caye where his wife and children were waiting for him to return from his morning fishing tour.

But, he never returned, instead, police had to fish his body out of the lagoon where he lay dead - while Graniel was slumped behind the steering wheel of the skiff - both had multiple gunshot wounds.

Best information says Graniel was the target- but Swank, as a witness, was collateral damage. Police discussed the possible motives for the murder this morning:

Supt. Hilberto Romero
"On Sunday 23rd June, 2019 around 11:30am, police responded to a report at an area 1 mile west of San Pedro Town in the lagoon where upon arrival police found the lifeless bodies of 2 male persons identified as Mario Graniel and Gary Swank. They had multiple gunshots injuries. One of the deceased was on board the vessel while the other was in the water. Both were taken out and taken to the San Pedro Polyclinic where they were pronounced dead on arrival."

Reporter
"Do you have details as to how the crime took place?"

Supt. Hilberto Romero
"We are working on several leads. We know that they were fishing in that particular area and thereafter the report came in that there had been a shooting. Police responded and that is what they found."

Chester Williams
"What we are gathering after the fact is that the decease, Mr. Graniel had a misunderstanding with one of the notorious gang figure in San Pedro. His home was shot at his Friday last. Police detained the persons who we suspected did the shooting, waited for Mr. Graniel to give the report. He never showed up to give the report. We maintain police presence in the area to protect him and the community from further shootings but we can't follow the man everywhere he goes. He decided to go out with a tourist. We don't have a boat to follow him and we can't put police on every tour guide boat. That was the end of it yesterday. We did what we could have done in terms of detaining those who we believe were responsible and maintaining presence in the area where he lived."

Swank was a cardiac interventionist from Virginia.

It is of note that on the day before the murder, Graniel reported to police that someone shot at his apartment - and a bullet penetrated the door. There expended shells were found in the area.

Channel 7

Police Say Graniel Had Beef with Notorious Gang Figure

Investigators are working on establishing a motive. This was not the first time that Graniel came under gunfire. A day before the double murder, shots were fired at Graniel's apartment in the Boca del Rio area. Graniel was inside his room on the second floor when he heard three gunshots. When he made checks, he noticed a bullet hole above his door. According to sources, this incident was captured by a security camera which showed a lone gunman, wearing a black hoodie to conceal his identity. At the scene, police found three nine millimeter shells. No one was found in the immediate area. According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, Graniel did not report this matter to the police.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

"The double murder in San Pedro, what we are gathering after the fact is that the decease, Mr. Graniel had a misunderstanding with one of the notorious gang figure in San Pedro. His home was shot at his Friday last. Police detained the persons who we suspected did the shooting, waited for Mr. Graniel to give the report. He never showed up to give the report. We maintain police presence in the area to protect him and the community from further shootings but we can't follow the man everywhere he goes. He decided to go out with a tourist. We don't have a boat to follow him and we can't put police on every tour guide boat. That was the end of it yesterday. We did what we could have done in terms of detaining those who we believe were responsible and maintaining presence in the area where he lived. I don't see what else we could have done."

Isani Cayetano

"Is it safe to say then that Mr. Swank is a victim of circumstance in this case?"

Chester Williams

"That is surely the case."

The Graniel family declined to comment. Graniel was an active tour guide and one of the first persons to pioneer fly fishing. A statement from the Belize Game Fish Conservation Network says in part that "Mr. Graniel was a huge help to us in our early days. No one deserves to go out that way especially someone so kind hearted."  Doctor Swank was an interventional cardiologist and worked at the Carilion Clinic in Virginia. A statement from Carilion reads, "Dr. Swank was a well-respected and well-loved colleague who, each and every day, embodied the values that we hold dear." Police say that Swank entered the country on Saturday; he was on vacation in Belize with his wife and three children.

Channel 5