Holbert and Reese Probably Shot and Killed Bo Icelar In His House Near Big Creek
(Panama-Guide) On 29 November 2009 Bo Icelar spoke to his sister and said he would be meeting with a man who "had a lot of cash" to talk with him about selling his house and property near Big Creek on Isla Colon in the province of Bocas del Toro in the Republic of Panama. While Icelar didn't mention Holbert (who he knew as William Cortez) by name, he did say that this person was supposedly very wealthy with ready access to a lot of cash. Icelar had spent the better part of 2009 trying to sell his property. He wanted to leave Panama to return to the area of Northern Mississippi to live near his sister. Although several people had expressed interest in his property no firm buyers had emerged. The possibility that Holbert and Reese (Cortez) might buy his property at a fair price in a cash transaction had him excited. He told his sister if everything went the way he hoped, he might even be home in time for the Christmas holidays. He told his sister he would talk to her again on the phone the next day, to let her know how the meeting had gone. They hung up. The next day, on 30 November 2009, she called him three times. However, she never spoke to him again.
Breakfast at Lili's Cafe: On the morning of 30 November 2009, a witness was eating breakfast at Lili's Cafe on Isla Colon, located over the water and right next door to the Tropical Suites hotel. The witness says she was using the WiFi Internet connection of the Tropical Suites hotel to send email, trying to market a property she had for sale via email. She knew Bo Icelar from the streets of Bocas del Toro on Isla Colon, and she said he was there as well, eating breakfast on that morning. In trying to nail down the exact date, the witness went back to check to see when she first started sending out those emails - and the first ones she sent were on 29 November 2009. I know from talking to Bo Icelar's sister that she spoke to Bo on 29 November 2009, which was a Sunday, and he said he would be meeting with the potential cash buyer (Holbert/Cortez) the next day. The witness says Bo Icelar was there that morning, eating breakfast at Lili's Cafe as well. She said they chatted briefly about this and that, and Bo told her he was trying to sell his property, and that he was waiting for someone who was a potential buyer.
In Walk The Serial Killers: At about that time William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese (then known as Bill and Jane Cortez) walked in to Lili's Cafe. They spoke briefly with Bo Icelar and the three of them left together. As far as I know, this is the last time any witness can report seeing Bo Icelar alive, and he was in the company of William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese (aka Bill and Jane Cortez.) (more)
Fits With Their Modus Operandi: Bo Icelar had gone to great lengths to "hide" his property within a Panamanian corporation called "Iguana Limited." If you check the Panamanian public registry documents his name does not appear anywhere. He paid lawyers who provide figures who serve as the President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the company for an annual fee - specifically so that his name would not appear on the public records. His company was established as a "bearer share" company - meaning that the person who has the shares in their hand is the legal owner of the company. Bo Icelar had filed for bankruptcy in the area of Albuquerque, New Mexico, before moving to Panama. He obviously had some money, property, and assets squirreled away that he didn't want to turn over to debtors. So, before filing for bankruptcy he moved those assets to Panama. He used that money to buy his property in Panama. He established the company "Iguana Limited" and used the company to buy the property - meaning - he was not the owner of the property directly but rather the company owned the property, and he owned the company (because he held the bearer shares.) Unfortunately for Bo Icelar - he fit Holbert's potential "victim profile" perfectly. Bo Icelar was not married. He had no children. He lived alone. He was hiding from something. And finally, all of his worldly belonging were tide up in a few slip pieces of paper - those bearer shares.
The House At Big Creek: The area known as "Big Creek" is located on Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro, the same island as Lili's Cafe. William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese (aka Bill and Jane Cortez) had a small car on Isla Colon - a little red Hyundai. They probably drove that car to go to Lili's Cafe to meet up with Bo Icelar that Monday morning. They would have piled into that little red car and driven straight to his house, which is only about a ten to fifteen minute drive. At the house Holbert would have been dangling promises of a large and quick cash payment in front of Bo Icelar to entice him. And of course, he would have asked a lot of questions about the land, was it titled, about the company, the fact that the company owned the land, it was a bearer share company so the transfer could be done quickly and easily with less taxes, etc. Up until this point everything would have appeared completely "Kosher."
I Think They Killed Bo Icelar At His House: Once William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese were convinced they knew everything they needed to know, Holbert simply drew the .22 caliber revolver that he carried with him at all times. He used it to kill Bo Icelar, and he probably shot him right there in the house. A .22 doesn't make a whole lot of noise and even if someone was standing outside of the house not too far away, they probably would not have heard anything. By then, the deed was done and all they had to do was clean up there mess, do a little paperwork, and the house was theirs.
In Walks Carlos, the House Painter: Unexpectedly, a handyman named Carlos showed up at Bo Icelar's house at about the time Holbert executed Icelar. Over the weekend Bo Icelar had contracted Carlos to help paint his house, and Carlos agreed to show up to start work on Monday morning. When Carlos arrived, he went to the front door and he was surprised to see William Dathan Holbert (aka Bill Cortez) in the house. Before Carlos could speak, Holbert barked "who the hell are you and what do you want?" Carlos explained that Bo Icelar had contracted him to paint the house, and he was reporting to work, as agreed. Holbert told him "Bo is gone, I bought this house, I am the new owner, and I don't want to paint. Get out of here." And so, Carlos left. I believe at this moment in time Holbert had very recently, maybe within minutes, executed Bo Icelar. Carlos thought all of this was strange, but he just left the area and only spoke to authorities later. Now, his official statement is part of the investigation record.
Moving Bo Icelar's Body: We now know the remains of Bo Icelar were buried behind William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese's house on Cauchero. As I have stated in earlier articles, at this point authorities have made an unofficial determination that the skeletal remains found on 20 July 2010 belong to Bo Icelar, however they await the arrival of dental and surgical records from the United States before they can make a final, legal, and official determination and declaration. Forensics investigators have found traces of human blood using Luminol in one of the boats owned by William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese, and it is presumed they used this boat to transport Bo Icelar's body from his house on Isla Colon to their house in Cauchero.
Inspecting Bo Icelar's House: This morning I called the prosecutor on the ground in Bocas del Toro and asked him if they have conducted Luminol testing of Bo Icelar's house near Big Creek. He said that no, they have not. I explained why I thought Holbert had most likely executed Icelar at his house, and that if they conduct a Luminol test there, chances are good it would come back as positive. I asked him if the technical experts from the Public Ministry were still there helping with the investigation in Bocas and confirmed that yes, they are still there. I laid out this whole scenario for him - how Holbert probably shot Icelar at this house and used the boat to move the body, which explains why they found traces of human blood in Holbert's boat. because they probably used it to transport the body.
Informing the Deputy Attorney General: I also called and spoke to Deputy Attorney General Angel Calderon this morning as well, and relayed all of this to him. He asked about the original sources of information and witnesses. Information from three people is used to build this scenario - Bo Icelar's sister, the witness at Lili's Cafe, and Carlos the house painter. Calderon expressed his frustration. Of the three, they only have a statement from one. He said it is absolutely crucial that the other two come in to their offices to make an official statement for the record. These people have information which will be extremely valuable for the prosecution to be able to make and prove their case against William Dathan Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese before a jury to be able to prove they are responsible for the cold blooded murder of Bo Icelar on 30 November 2009 - however that information has to get into the official record. Both of these witnesses have to do the right thing, and go on the record. Now.
It's Easier For Me: First of all - I don't have to prove anything before a judge or jury. I can hear a snippet of information and if it fits within the overall developing story, I can instantly proceed with my own investigation and work under the premise that the information I've been told is accurate and valid. The prosecutors and investigators have a much harder task. They have to diligently and painstakingly collect evidence and establish facts, reconstruct movements, and develop timelines, mostly through statements from witnesses and forensic evidence. I can be about a million times more "nimble."
Less Scared Now: Last week when the notorious pair of serial killers were still running around, before they had been captured, everyone was scared silly. There were reports which we now know were inaccurate saying they might still be hiding in the area of Bocas del Toro somewhere. People were sitting around with shotguns on their laps, afraid that "Wild Bill" and "Calamity Jane" might pull up to their dock, armed with an AK-47. No one wanted to talk to the authorities, until he was in custody. Even now that he's behind bars, people are still afraid. Bo Icelar's sister told me flat out that she was afraid for her life. I assured her that she could fly in to Panama City, that I would personally escort her to the office of the Complaint Reception Center of the DIJ where she could make her sworn statement and to get what she knows into evidence, and then take her back to the airport so she could fly back home. If necessary arrangements could be made for additional bodyguards and protection - but there's no way that anything bad would happen to her. At this point everyone holding pertinent information needs to come forward and to get that information on the record. The compiled sum total of all of those details will be "the case" against these two serial killers. In short - if you don't get it on the record, it never happened.
I'm On My Way Now: As an interim measure, I'm going to go down to the DIJ myself and make a statement and provide the same details. However, I'm not a first hand source. The information I have, while I consider it to be true and factual, needs to come from the original sources in order to carry more weight in a court of law. However for now, what I know will serve as enough of an impetus to allow the prosecutors to spend the time and resources to more fully investigate Bo Icelar's house near Big Creek as a potential crime scene, to check the house using Luminol, and to search for evidence. As incredible as is might sound to you, as far as I know they still have not gone there to search that house. I'm trying to push that issue right now. Can you tell?
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Original Source: http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20100730103042669
Date Retrieved: July 31, 2010.
