57 year old Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich, a Canadian retiree who lived in Consejo Shores, Corozal for the past few months, was brutally attacked and murdered at around six on Tuesday evening inside the two storey house that she rented. Police say that the woman, who was planning to relocate to San Ignacio Town, Cayo on Thursday, suffered multiple stab wounds to her upper body. Her attacker pounced with calculated precision and the only evidence left behind were an eight inch bloodstained knife on a sofa, a few drops of blood and footprints as he escaped the premises.
ASP Daniel Arzu
"We realized that access was not possible given the fact that the building was secure. It has one stairs which carries a metal door and that was locked. We made entry into the building via a ladder and inside, we observed a Caucasian female, a woman on the floor in the living room; it appears that person or persons may have made entry by climbing to the upper flat of the building and exited the same means by jumping down and made their escape."
According to Deputy Commander of the Corozal Police Formation, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Daniel Arzu, says that the woman's partner left Belize earlier this week while she stayed behind to prepare to relocate. Police strongly believe that the killer gained access to the building through a golf course that runs behind the house. They also believe that the killer may have injured himself in the attack by the drops of blood that were visible on the terrace. At the end of their first day of investigations, police still had no leads and cannot determine if the motive was robbery, and believe that the neighbours may have scared off the killer.
DANIEL ARZU
"I believe that the person or persons who gained entry to that building were extremely distracted and they had to quickly flee that scene. They were distracted by the neighbors or presence of the neighbors because from information gathered, the neighbors were alerted by screaming by yelling and when they responded the person or persons attacking were distracted and they fled. We observed that they have IPAD, cell phones, expensive stuff within the premise and that tell us that probably it has to be distraction; even if the persons were there to rob or steal, I am sure that they were distracted by the response of the neighbors that live nearby."
The neighbours, who declined comment, reportedly engaged their vehicle headlights and honked their horns when they heard the screams coming from the house. Police say that they also have not confined their suspect to the Corozal District and are relying heavily on the information provided by the neighbours of the posh community to solve Belize's latest homicide.
LOVE TV
Canadian woman is stabbed more than eight times inside her house in Consejo
There is a brutal murder to report tonight; a Canadian woman was stabbed to death at her house sometime on Tuesday evening. Her body was found in a pool of blood in her living room. Neighbors say they heard screams but did not see anyone entering the house of Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich who had been living in the Consejo area in the outskirts of Corozal Town since May first. Her common-law left for Canada earlier this week and she was home alone when her life was cut short. Her killers apparently entered the secured house from the rear and police found footprints as well as the murder weapon. �
Duane Moody, Reporting
Consejo Shores�.it is an area habituated primarily by foreign nationals who retire after years of work and migrate to the jewel to bask in the peace and tranquility the location has to offer. It is a widespread community located approximately seven miles northeast of Corozal Town. But on Tuesday night just before seven o'clock, that serenity was shattered when the body of fifty-seven year old Canadian national, Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich was found with multiple stab wounds.
It is day one in the investigation being conducted by investigators from the Corozal Police Formation.
ASP Daniel Arzu, Deputy Commander, Corozal Police Formation
"We received information of an incident at Consejo Village here at Corozal District. We responded to the information received. There we arrived at a two storey concrete building. We conducted an investigation and we realized that access was not possible given the fact that the building was secured. It has one stair which carries a metal door which was locked. We made entrance to the building via a ladder and inside we observed a Caucasian female, woman, on the floor in the living room faced down in what appears to be blood apparently dead. So we conducted inquires and nobody was around, the building was secured."
It is believed the culprits gained access to the property from the rear. Footprints on the wall leading to the second floor indicate that the attacker or attackers scaled the side of the building to gain entrance. There is where the home invasion and foiled burglary turned deadly when the killer encountered Nichiporowich inside her house. Police say that the burglary was averted when neighbors heard screams coming for the house.
�
ASP Daniel Arzu
"The motive as it is right now is still undetermined, but what my assessments so far it seems to be a home invasion and with the quick response of the neighbors, I believe that the person who attempted that entry or persons who gained entry to that building were extremely distracted and they had to quickly flee that scene. They were distracted by the presence of the neighbors. From information gathered, the neighbors were alerted by screaming, by yelling-a form of panic yelling and they responded because you see those people in that area are much into that neighborhood watch activities and so they responded. And when they responded, the person or persons attacking were distracted and they probably fled. We observed that they have I-pods, cell phones; expensive stuff within the premise and that tells us that it has to be distraction even if the persons were there to rob or steal, I am sure that they were distracted by the response of the neighbors who live nearby."
A stainless steel eight-inch blade knife, believed to be the murder weapon, was retrieved from the scene. Nichiporowich and her common-law had been renting in the area since May of this year and she was to relocate to San Ignacio shortly.
ASP Daniel Arzu
"She had a partner who is out of the country right now. I understand that he might have departed the country on Monday and she stayed back preparing to migrate to San Ignacio in the Cayo District. We very much as well know that the people residing in Consejo, foreigners or people who are naturalized Belizeans are very corporative and we know that they will assist with this investigation. And again we rely on the public to give us that assistance to take us somewhere in this investigation."
Anyone with information that can assist with this latest homicide in Corozal is asked to please contact the nearest police station or crime stoppers Belize at 0-800-922-TIPS. Duane Moody for News Five.
Nichiporowich's son, who is in Thailand is expected to arrive in Belize later this week.�
Channel 5
Canadian Retiree Killed In Consejo
Tonight, Corozal Police continue to investigate the first murder in 7 months in that district, and it’s a terrible one: the stabbing death of a 57 year-old female Canadian retiree.
Investigators are seeking the help of the public because there are very few clues in the crime which happened in the secluded village of Consejo, a place where many North Americans settle down to retire.
7News went to the village, to find out how it unfolded; Daniel Ortiz reports:
Daniel Ortiz
The community of Consejo Village in the Corozal District has been shaken by the murder of Canadian 56 year-old Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich.
The Consejo Shores area is a well-known real estate location where international retirees settle down, and as such, they expect to leave peacefully.
That peace and sense of security was violated last night.
ASP Daniel Arzu - Deputy OC, Corozal Police
"Just about, or even before, we received information of an incident at Consejo Village, here in Corozal District. We responded to the information received. There, we arrived at a 2-storey concrete building. Inside we observed a Caucasian female, a woman, on the floor in the living room, faced down in what appeared to be blood, apparently dead. From the passport that we found in the premises, it reveals the name of the person to be that of Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich. She is a Canadian, 57 years-old."
Police say that to get into the upper flat, where Nichiporowich was staying is quite difficult because there is one way in and out. There was no sign of forced entry, so how did the culprit or culprits gain entry?
ASP Daniel Arzu
"It appears that a person (or persons) may have made entry by climbing to the upper flat of the building, and exited by the same means, jumping down and making their escape. That is basically what we discovered. We found a knife on the couch inside the living room, smeared with what appears to blood, and the injuries observed on the body would seem to be that of injuries from a sharp object."
Her nearby neighbors are mostly American and Canadian retirees, and as such, they are very avid followers the community watch system. They responded quickly, so the assailant didn’t have time to clean out the house of its valuables.
ASP Daniel Arzu
"This would seem to be a home invasion, and with the quick response of the neighbours, I believe that the person or persons who gained entry to that building were extremely distracted. They had to quickly flee that scene because of the presence of the neighbours. From information gathered, the neighbours were alerted by screaming and panicked yelling, and they responded. Those people within that neighbourhood are very much into that neighbourhood watch activities, and when they responded, the person or persons attacking were distracted, and they had to flee."
Investigators are not sure if there is anything missing, but they are doubtful because there were quite a bit of small but valuable electronics, that could have been an easy haul, which were left undisturbed.
In Canada, Nichiporowich was an indoor air quality specialist with over 30 years’ experience. Police say that her spouse left Belize�on Monday, and he is currently in Florida.
Channel 7
AmbergrisCaye.com 
And in an update to the other murder we told you about last week, Belmopan police continue to investigate who stabbed 47 year-old taxi driver Orlando Smith to death. No charges have been laid yet, but police say that they have persons of interest, and they they are seeking advice of the Office of the DPP.
