The seemingly never-ending violence in the city has claimed the lives of three people, who were shot to death over the weekend.
Dead are James Noralez, 28, also known as “Selecta DJ” of the Linda Vista Police Street area; Deon Waight, 48, of Caesar Ridge Road; and William Felix Francis, 23, of the Administration Drive area.
The city’s bloody weekend began with the death of James Noralez, who was shot 14 times on Fabers Road around 7:15 p.m. on Friday.
Police reports are that Noralez was walking on Fabers Road towards the Western Highway when unknown gunmen fired at him. He was shot 3 times in the left side of the chest, 4 times in the upper shoulder, once under the left arm pit, once in the left upper arm, once in the left side of the chin, once in the left side of his upper back, once in the back of the head, and was grazed in the right side of the eye. Neighbors who became alarmed by the murderous gunfire quickly called police.
Police said that they found Noralez on Fabers Road Extension about 500 feet from the intersection of George Price Highway. They also found 7 expended bullet cases, and a slug was retrieved from the scene.
Noralez was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival at about 8:17 p.m. Police have detained three men for the murder.
Allegations are that James Noralez was killed because he had reported some drugs and ammunition to police, which were found and confiscated by police. Allegations are also that gunmen had gone to the Electric Avenue road concreting site where he was working along with David Myvette concreting Electric Avenue around 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 31. The gunmen had asked for James Noralez, but instead shot Myvette about 10 times. It was believed that Noralez was whom the gunmen wanted, and not Myvette.
His father, Bertran Noralez, Warrant Officer Class 2 (Ret’d) of the Belize Defence Force, said that these shootings have to stop. He said that information given to law enforcement must be held in strict confidence and must be guarded at all cost.
“Tran” Noralez said that he was at home on Friday when the police came and requested that he go with them to the morgue to identify his son. He said that when he saw his son, he felt as if a truck had run over him.
He said that his son was a member of the Belize Defence Force, where he served 3 years, and after he was discharged, he was employed by the Ministry of Works’ Southside Poverty Alleviation Project.
James Noralez is survived by his father Bertan Noralez, his mother Shelmadine Swift, 5 sisters, 1 brother, several aunts, including Pearl Arana and Inez Paquel among others, several uncles, and a host of cousins, other relatives and friends.
On Saturday, around 9:30 p.m., Deon Waight was walking on Kraal Road toward a Chinese store on Fabers Road to buy cigarettes when a Jeep Cherokee turned into Kraal Road from Caesar Ridge Road and drove behind him.
When Waight arrived at the junction of Guerrero Street and Kraal Road, the vehicle drove up beside him, and a gunman from within opened fire. As a result, Waight was shot in the back of neck, in the back of the head, in the right side of his head and in his left hand.
At the time, another man was walking down Kraal Road towards Caesar Ridge Road. The vehicle then drove up to that man, who was now running, and the gunman again fired at him, but missed because the vehicle was moving. The vehicle then drove into Kraal Road and disappeared.
Neighbors who saw what happened quickly took Waight to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
Waight’s brother, Pappy Dixon, said that his brother was killed for no reason. He was the runner for the community and was well liked by everyone. He ran errands for people for a little money, and he was not a troublemaker, Dixon said, adding that people from other areas come to the Caesar Ridge area to cause mischief, and just shoot anyone because they live in the area.
Pappy Dixon said that he felt angry and vengeful, but he will not seek revenge and will leave it to God because the Bible said, “He who hurts the innocent will perish,” and he believes this, said the grieving brother.
Deon Waight, 48, is survived by his daughter, his parents, 3 sisters and 3 brothers — Pappy Dixon, Anthony Craig and Lloyd Bradley.
The mayhem continued on Sunday, when around 1:30 p.m. William Felix Francis was shot 6 times in his house on Administration Drive. He and his brother were relaxing in their home on Administration Drive when a gunman entered the house and began firing at them. Police reports are that they saw William Francis lying inside the house with multiple gunshot wounds. He was shot twice in his left hand, once in the left side of the chest, twice in his neck and once in his right eye.
Police said that initial investigation revealed that while Francis was inside his house talking with his brother, a man dressed in a black shirt entered the house, aimed a pistol at them and asked for someone. Upon seeing this, William’s brother ran and jumped through a window, leaving William, who was shot by the gunman, who then escaped out of the house.
William’s brother returned and found William lying injured on the floor. Police were called and he was taken to the KHMH where he was declared dead on arrival at 2:07 that Sunday evening. Police said that they are seeking a Belize City man known to them, for questioning.
Reports are that William Francis told the gunman that he was not the person he was seeking and that he was William and the gunman reportedly told him he “don’t want to hear that” and opened fire on him, shooting him multiple times.
The family is upset because their loved one does not live here in the city but lives in Caye Caulker, and only came to the city to visit his mother. He had no enemies, they said, and he was training to be a Special Constable in Caye Caulker. He was to begin his new job today, Monday.
His sister, Queenie Francis, said that her brothers were not involved in gangs and violence and kept out of mischief. The gunman was seeking a person from their neighborhood, she said, but came to the wrong house and shot her brother for no reason.
William Felix Francis, 23, is survived by his mother, Lucy Ramos Francis, his father, Jack Francis, two sisters, Queenie and Lucy, several uncles and aunts, including WPC Sherleen Ramos, cousins, relatives and friends.