According to the BBC, police have not made any arrests and as none of Peralta’s belongings had been taken robbery is not believed to be the motive.
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In a statement the ministry said: “We regret the violent death of the outstanding sportsman Arnold Peralta, a young player of the national team of Honduras”.
Honduras is plagued by gang violence and has one of the highest murder rates in the world. In his professional career, he previously played for the Rangers Football Club in Scotland and Club Deportivo Vida in Honduras.
“This is bad”, Peralta’s father, Carols Peralta, said during a news conference on Thursday.
The midfielder is understood to have been visiting his hometown of La Ceiba as his team Club Deportivo Olimpia’s season was finished.
He said: “They killed my exemplary son”.
Peralta, who played as a defensive midfielder, represented Honduras on 24 occasions including several World Cup qualifiers.
The 26 year-old moved to Paraguayan side Club Olimpia in the off-season after spending three years with Scottish club Rangers. “I can’t say more because of the pain I feel”. Olimpia was eliminated from the league’s semifinal last weekend by its archrival, Motagua.
The Olimpia club, for which Peralta played, posted a condolence message on their Twitter handle.
Peralta’s club has also expressed its sympathies online.
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“Rest in peace Brother, may God welcome you in heaven”, Garcia tweeted, while Martinez wrote, “I’ll remember you forever.” . “Strength to the Peralta family”. We were always together from the youth national teams to the senior team.
