Murder in the Colonia

On Monday Toby noticed a huge crowd of people just down the street a few houses from our own, and went to investigate what was going on. Down there he saw the police and crime investigators at the scene, as well as his fellow firemen. Apparently a murder had a taken place and the firemen were there to take the body away when the investigation finished.

These kind of events always draw huge crowds of hundreds of people. During the spectacle of the event some people take the opportunity to sell items to the bystanders. On this day in particular, one man came out to sell cotton candy for the crowd as they watched the procedures take place.

We didn't have many details of the incident until later that evening where we gossiped with Lucy, the owner of Blintz Café. Apparently this incident was a lovers quarrel of some sort. Last Friday the mistress went missing, but was not discovered until around Sunday or Monday. Both people were married with children and were both local school teachers. We don't know the motive only the result; the man murdered his mistress and then committed suicide himself.

Lucy informed us that these lovers quarrels resulting in deaths and suicides are not uncommon here in Quiché. Apparently there are a lot of affairs and guilt (probably the motivation for murder and suicide). One thing is for sure....the children of these lovers will be hurt the most because they have lost the love and support of a parent.