BELIZE CITY, Thurs. May 10, 2018– Albert Jones, 45, a fisherman of Hattieville, was charged with the murder of Alaine Garcia, 35, when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. She explained to him that she would not take a plea because the offence was indictable.

She also explained to him that she could not offer him bail because of the nature of the offence. Jones was remanded into custody until August 10.

The incident occurred between 7:30 a.m. and 7:36 a.m. on February 20, 2018, in the Windmill area of Hattieville. Garcia, who had moved from Belize City to Hattieville about 2 months prior to the incident, was returning home from taking his common-law wife, Kelly Neal, and their 3 children, to the bus stop when several shots were fired.

Residents of the area reported that they saw Garcia fleeing for his life. He disappeared and he has not been seen since then, although efforts have been made to locate him.

Police reported that Jones gave them a statement in which he confessed to the murder and that it was on that basis that they had charged him.