U.S. tourist hacked to death in Guatemala

[WriteDown]

Source: AP

GUATEMALA CITY — Robbers armed with machetes hacked a U.S. tourist to death and seriously wounded his wife in an attack aboard the couple's sailboat in northeastern Guatemala, the woman told The Associated Press on Sunday.

In a telephone interview from her hospital bed, Nancy Dryden, 67, said her husband, Daniel Perry Dryden, 66, was killed by four men who boarded their boat late Saturday while it was anchored in Lake Izabal.

"They poked us and stabbed us with the machetes, and they were asking for money, specifically dollars," said Dryden, who was listed in stable condition at a hospital in the lakeside town of Morales.

The thieves were apparently unhappy with the take. "We had a few quetzales (Guatemala's currency), but we had no dollars with us on the boat," Dryden recounted....

Read more: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/news/252177.php

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Monsters.

[bbgrunt]

1. looks like Amerikans are becoming targets. Maybe

those who ridicule world opinion need to consider a planet in which they will have to consider travel outside to be much riskier than in the past. While thieves will always be thieves, murdering an Amerikan was, in the past, was bound to bring serious consequences and local government officials fearing backlash would protect US citizens with special zeal. No more.

[Bacchus39]

2. it won't stop me from traveling

I think the murder was more an indication of the brutality of the criminals than a warning.

Americans and foreign tourists have long been targets of thieves, and unfortunately sometimes murder victims. its not like this was the first time an American tourist has been killed.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[slackmaster]

3. Blame the victim much?

Do you ever find yourself saying that a rape victim brought it on herself by dressing provocatively?

:argh:

[isentropic]

4. Apocalypto!

:hide:

[bbgrunt]

8. huh? I'm not blaming the victim at all.

Having lived outside the US in 3 different countries for 5 years, I have been acutely aware of special treatment given to US citizens in countries where we have been favorably viewed in the past. I am questioning whether US policies of the past 8 years have decreased the perceived risk to criminals attacking Amerikans overseas.

While I don't believe that the criminals who perpetrated this horrendous crime were anything but brutal thugs, I think there has been a shift in world opinion about the US and it's broken military, bogged down in at least 2 wars, precipitous economic situation and the fall of the dollar that takes the halo off and makes travel abroad to some countries riskier.

Perhaps this was not the thread to point this out as it concerns a very real tragedy, but coming so soon on the senseless slaying in Beijing, it seemed relevant. And yes, visitors to this country have certainly suffered their share of equally senseless tragedies by brutal thugs.

[WriteDown]

5. Huh?

Sounds like they were just looking for money from "rich" tourists. Nothing new, but the brutality is sickening.

[Indenturedebtor]

6. No kidding. We've had tourists murdered here in the States countless times n/t

[JonQ]

7. This wasn't a political statement

it had nothing to do with the fact that they were Americans, or our foreign policy. It has everything to do with some sick criminals wanting money. That would happen regardless of who lived in the white house.

People who say we bring these sorts of rare, horrific and unpredictable events on us for our actions as a nation are do different in my eyes than those who claim hurricanes were sent to punish us for our sins.

Nope, sometimes horrible things just happen, there doesn't have to be some deeper meaning.

[heliarc]

9. Pirates! Arrrrr!

How does everyone like Pirates now? I hate the pirate trend. Pirates are all too real and all too disgusting.