21.7 C
Belize City
Friday, March 29, 2024

World Down Syndrome Day

Photo: Students and staff of Stella Maris...

BPD awards 3 officers with Women Police of the Year

Photo: (l-r) Myrna Pena, Carmella Cacho, and...

Suicide on the rise!

Photo: Iveth Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator by Charles...

Easter murder – George Hyde, 37, found chopped to death

LatestEaster murder – George Hyde, 37, found chopped to death

In an eerie coincidence, Hyde had been tried for the murder of Canadian missionary Keith Haslam, 69, who had similarly been chopped to death, also in Buena Vista

BUENA VISTA, Cayo District, Sun. Apr. 1, 2018– Easter Sunday morning brought devastation to Alvin Hyde and his family, who reside in Belmopan. His son, George, 37, a farmer of Buena Vista, was found dead on his verandah in the peaceful village at about 8:00 that morning. He had been chopped in the head, face, neck, and upper body.

Information we’ve received is that people passing by the house saw him motionless on the verandah and called police. Police investigations into the vicious murder led to a man from the village who has been detained for questioning.

Just four months prior to the murder, George Hyde had been released from prison in November 2017, after he was acquitted of the murder of Canadian missionary Keith Haslam, 69, who was badly beaten and chopped to death in Buena Vista in December 2013.

An investigation into the missionary’s death led to charges being brought against George Hyde, who stood trial at the Belmopan Supreme Court in November 2017 before Justice Antoinette Moore.

The Crown, represented by Senior Crown Counsel Cecil Ramirez, relied on a caution statement and two oral confessions that Hyde allegedly made.

However, none of the statements were admitted into evidence after a trial within the trial (voire dire) was conducted. There was no other evidence which tied Hyde to the murder, and so Justice Moore acquitted him.

Today, Hyde’s family told us that after the acquittal, Hyde was living quietly in the village. He had not complained that he was being threatened and therefore, his murder came without warning.

George is a brother of Russell Hyde, who was murdered by a gunman who ambushed and shot him about 4 times with a shotgun in August 2015, as he came out of his vehicle to open the gate to drive into his compound in Roaring Creek.

He was also an uncle of Russell Hyde, Jr., 23, who was shot multiple times in Santa Elena, Cayo, in December 2017, but survived.

Check out our other content

World Down Syndrome Day

Suicide on the rise!

Check out other tags:

International