Slain former Rangers footballer Arnold Peralta's wife weeps uncontrollably as the father-of-one star is laid to rest just two days after he was gunned down in his native Honduras 

Slain former Rangers footballer Arnold Peralta was laid to rest today after a mass at San Isidro Cathedral in La Ceiba, Honduras.

Heartbroken wife Vanessa, who was with the 26-year-old when he was shot dead, sobbed uncontrollably as she walked behind his coffin while it was carried from the cathedral into a waiting hearse.

Friends, family and well-wishers walked behind the vehicle as it was driven slowly along one of the port city's main avenues.

Peralta was subsequently buried at Jardines de Paz Ceibenos Cemetery.

Slain former Rangers footballer Arnold Peralta was laid to rest today after a mass at San Isidro Cathedral in La Ceiba, Honduras

Heartbroken wife Vanessa, who was with the 26-year-old when he was shot dead, sobbed uncontrollably as she walked behind his coffin while it was carried from the cathedral into a waiting hearse

In an emotional farewell message at his funeral, his mother Celina Sosa (pictured being held back) said: 'Son, you were and will continue to be the most beautiful thing God has given me so happy journey son

In an emotional farewell message at his funeral, his mother Celina Sosa said: 'Son, you were and will continue to be the most beautiful thing God has given me so happy journey son.

'I thank the Lord for having lent him to me for these beautiful 26 years because now I'm only going to live from my memories.

'I want to thank all the people who are present here today because they have shown they love this wonderful boy.

'I want to thank all the football teams and Vida football club where Arnold started, reached the reserves and rose up like a gladiator, a fighter, with an enormous heart who went right to the summit.

'My son is still a gladiator who always defended the colours of his teams and the national side.

'Our Lord gave him the opportunity at the age of 19 to participate in a World cup with the national side.

'He was always a player with guts, a fighter who put his heart into it, he was strong and robust, that's why he triumphed.

'I was his number one fan and he knew that. He always said his number one fan was his mum.

'I was so proud of being a fan, the Lord lent him to me, he gave him his life and today at 26 years old he took him, a young man who had many dreams, a father who won't have the opportunity to share life with his daughter but will be protecting her wherever he is.'

Friends, family and well-wishers walked behind the vehicle as it was driven slowly along one of the port city's main avenues

Players from Vida football club, where the dad-of-one (left) started his footballing career in 2008, were among those present

Referring to the killer who gunned him down in a car park as he went shopping with his wife Vanessa, she added: 'I ask God to bless the hand that mistreated my little boy. God will take care of this, not us because we're nobody.'

Speaking directly to her son as he lay in his coffin, she said: 'That little boy that you're looking at in those four panels of wood was a very special son with this mother who is in bits, who takes part of my heart.

'You were the perfect son, your mother was always first. Every day this beautiful person you're looking at now called me to tell me, 'Mum, I love you'.

'There wasn't a day that went by when he didn't call me to say, 'Mum, I love you.'

That was the last conversation we had before they killed him and snatched him away from me.'

In an equally emotive Instagram message, Arnold's wife Vanessa Oliva, said: 'I don't have words to explain this pain, this hole that you leave in me.

'You were and will be the love of my life for ever.'

Referring to their daughter Camila as the 'immense gift you left me,' she added: 'All that's left is to say thank you for the immense gift you left me, a part of you, Camila Fabiana Peralta.

This is the heartbreaking moment the brother of slain ex-Rangers midfielder Arnold Peralta breaks down after lifting up the sheet over his body and seeing his loved one

'I will tell her about you, I will speak about you.

'My heart at this moment is cut into a thousand pieces. My love, my everything. I love you to infinity.'

Players from Vida football club, where the dad-of-one started his footballing career in 2008, were among those present. 

A Rangers scarf lay over his coffin, as the Glasgow club also paid tribute to Peralta at Ibrox this afternoon. 

The heartbreaking moment Peralta's brother breaks down after lifting up the sheet over his body and seeing his loved one was caught on camera.

Carlos Peralta confirmed his worst fears after breaking through a police cordon following the savage drive-by shooting of the 26-year-old dad-of-one.

The footage shows how officers had to help him away from the scene as he held his hands to his head and jumped up and down in a emotional display of disbelief and anger.

Carlos Peralta confirmed his worst fears after breaking through a police cordon following the savage drive-by shooting of the 26-year-old dad-of-one

A minute's silence is held after the death of former player Arnold Peralta before Rangers' draw with Greenock Morton today

Last night Arnold's grief-stricken wife Vanessa, mum to their four-month-old daughter Camila, revealed the star was shot dead

Friends, family and well-wishers walked behind the vehicle as it was driven slowly along one of the port city's main avenues

Last night Arnold's grief-stricken wife Vanessa, mum to their four-month-old daughter Camila, revealed the star was shot dead as he returned to his Porsche Cayenne to close a window he realised he had left open.

The footballer had parked up seconds earlier at a shopping centre in the port city of La Ceiba in his native Honduras to go Christmas shopping with Vanessa and a soccer player friend called Marcelo Canales.

Vanessa was pictured collapsed to her knees after seeing her husband's body following the gruesome killing around 5.30pm local time on Thursday.

Today she called on the authorities to catch the men who murdered her husband but said they should face divine justice if they escaped the huge manhunt underway for them.

Revealing she believed Arnold's killers followed them from another shopping centre they had been to before arriving at the Uniplaza retail complex where he was gunned down, she added: 'It was hard and what's happening is still hard for me.

Peralta had returned to his car after reportedly buying clothes for his newborn daughter when he was killed

Inconsolable: Vanessa Oliva, the wife of former Rangers footballer Arnold Peralta, weeps over his body after the player was killed in a drive-by shooting in a shopping mall car park in his native Honduras

Arnold Peralta, who played for Rangers between 2013 and 2015, has been shot dead in his native Honduras

The couple (pictured outside the Louvre in Paris) had recently celebrated the birth of their daughter Camilla

Flags are placed on the gates at Ibrox, Glasgow, the home of Rangers, in memory of former player Arnold Peralta

A Rangers fan pays tribute to Arnold Perlata at the gates of Ibrox before the Scottish side's 2-2 draw with Greenock Morton today

'I didn't see much of what happened because we arrived, got out of the car and went towards the shopping centre.

'When we had walked a few yards, Arnold saw he'd left a window open and returned to the car to close it.

'I waited with Marcelo and then I heard the shots near to where he was. We went to see what had happened and saw him lying on the ground.

'It was awful to see him like that.'

Speaking to local paper La Prensa from the funeral parlour where Arnold's body was taken ahead of his funeral yesterday/later today (SAT), she admitted: 'We didn't see anyone. When we arrived we only saw the body, although some people told us that the ones who killed him were on motorbikes.'

Peralta (pictured with his wife Vanessa Oliva) was gunned down in his home city of La Ceiba in Honduras)

Peralta's wife Vanessa Oliva was shopping with the footballer when he was gunned down

Peralta (pictured outside Le Louvre museum in Paris) is the latest victim of violence in Honduras, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world, spurred by gang warfare

Arnold, who played 25 times for Rangers between 2013 and 2015, was shot repeatedly in the head, chest and back.

Investigators said 18 bullet casings from a 9-millimeter handgun were recovered from the scene.

Four police teams were today analysing CCTV footage of the scene - after arresting a security worker who at first refused to hand over the film.

Three of the teams working on the case have been drafted in from Tegucigalpa, Honduras' largest city.

Investigators have ruled out robbery because none of the player's belongings were taken but remain tight-lipped about the probe.

Police chief Luis Melendez confirmed they were progressing well.

He said: 'Two theories are being looked into but we prefer at this stage not to reveal any more details so as not to hamper the investigation.

'We are gathering information and getting answers and we hope to have something concrete in the next 24 hours.'

Peralta, pictured on November 2 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, helped Rangers to win Scottish League One in 2014, before being released in January of this year

Local reports said the main theory detectives were working on was that Arnold had refused to play ball with criminals trying to extort money from him.

The other line of inquiry focuses on a family dispute, given his cousin was killed in similar circumstances six months ago in La Ceiba.

Bayron Josue Peralta, a carpenter by trade, was shot dead by three gunmen at his home in early June this year.

The 28-year-old suffered multiple gunshot wounds, leading investigators to believe it was likely he was killed as part of a personal attack rather than an attempted robbery. 

A police spokesman revealed last night they were speaking to a protected witness who could provide key information.

Roadblocks were also in place around La Ceiba to ensure the killers did not evade a huge police net set up to catch them.

The gunman who shot Arnold, who had returned to play football in Honduras and was preparing for an international friendly, is thought to have escaped on a motorbike driven by an accomplice.

The midfielder won 24 caps for his country, and represented Honduras at the London 2012 Olympic Games

In mourning: Tributes are left on the gates at Ibrox Stadium in memory of Honduran international Arnold Peralta who played for Rangers until January

One Rangers fan left a tribute at the gates of Ibrox, saying: 'Rest in peace wee man. Safe in the arms of Jesus. Once a Ger always a Ger'

Rangers announced in January that the defensive midfielder's contract had been terminated by mutual consent.

He returned to play for Honduran side Olimpia after an unsuccessful trial with FC Shakhter Karagandy of Kazakhstan.

Speaking after learning of his son's death, Arnold's father Carlos wept: 'He was a great son. He was my hero. The greatest son you could wish for.

'I hope God can do justice. This is terrible. He had just visited us. I can't say more because of the pain I feel.'

Mr Peralta, who was told of his son's murder by a neighbour who woke him from a nap, also said he hoped investigators would speak to a footballer player he named as Mario.

He told a local TV station: 'I want investigators to find me a mixed race man who plays football as well who is called Mario. He lives in Corosal. Arnold was always with him.'

No more details on the mystery pal were released today.