Criminal madness seemed to have enveloped the country over the weekend, with six murders, four attempted murders, one break-in robbery, three home invasions, one motor vehicle stolen, and a taxi operator jacked, among other crimes – the mayhem beginning from Thursday, July 24, last week.
There were six murders – four recently committed, and two bodies were found. They obviously did not die of natural causes.
Leon Sutherland, 24, of Marigold Lane, was murdered on Friday at the corner of Vernon and Partridge Streets; Karim Harris of Leslie and Meighan Avenues was shot dead on Lottie Waight Street; Abel Thomas, 22, of Iguana Street, was shot dead on Iguana Street for his bicycle; on July 26, police visited human remains found on Santa Rosa Road, San Ignacio. A bullet hole was seen through its head, and its bones were scattered about; on July 26, police saw a body in an Orange Walk feeder road, in the region of Trinidad Village, in an advanced state of decomposition. Police suspect that the remains may be that of Alden Hall, 18, a student who had been reportedly kidnapped on February 2, 2008; then, Cordel Cayetano was found dead in Orchid Garden, Belmopan.
There were four attempted murders. On Thursday, July 24, Kenroy Humes, 19, was shot in the buttocks on Oleander Street; Albert Pollard, 29, of Banak Street, was shot in the shoulder in an alley off Banak Street; Alexander Reyes, 21, and Johan Orellana, 17, both of Locke’s Alley, were shot – a bullet grazed Reyes’s forehead, and Orellana was shot on the right hand.
Thieves broke into the home of Nigel Price, a British national who lives on Gabourel Lane, between Wednesday and Thursday last week, and stole mostly electronic equipment.
There were three home invasions. On Thursday, American teacher Mostafa Shafiq, 29, had his home invaded at gunpoint. He was put in his bathroom and his hands tied. Thieves stole electronic goods, credit cards and money. Herman Reyes of West Canal answered the door and was held up at knifepoint. He was robbed of money and his cell phone, and was injured in the attack; on Saturday, gas attendant Andy Eck, of Western Butane Gas Company, was visited by 3 masked, knife-wielding men. He was beaten when he didn’t hand over the money, but in the end, the thieves stole $3,500. He managed to identify one of his assailants.
In Dangriga, Alfred Nunez, 24, had his 1988 Toyota stolen.
Taxi operator Michael Hemmans, of Mahogany Street, Belize City, was jacked of $100 after being asked to take a passenger to Banak Street. The thief shot at Hemmans, who had managed to push him out of the car. The vehicle’s window was broken.
And finally, in a crime against himself, Samuel Carrias took a shotgun and put an end to his life. As of news time tonight, no one knows why.
The stories appear elsewhere in this issue.