Photo: Kareem Franklin and Elden Flowers, charged with murder
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Sept. 4, 2023
Elden Flowers, 25, of Oleander Street, and Kareem Franklin, 27, of Flamboyant Street, associates of a local gang in Belize City, have been charged with the murder of businessman-turned-street figure Orel Leslie, 34, on August 27.
According to reports, Leslie had been heading to his home in a pickup truck when, at the junction of Albert Street and Regent Street, two gunmen believed to be Flowers and Franklin approached his truck on a stolen motorcycle, and fired a large number of gunshots in his direction, killing Leslie on the spot.
Leslie’s truck then collided with a tree across from St. John’s Cathedral, after which his assassins quickly fled the scene; however, they were apprehended by police near Pallotti High School at the flag monument.
Cops searched the two men and found a 9-millimeter pistol and two extended clips.
Initially, both Franklin and Flowers were charged jointly with firearm-related offenses – kept firearm and kept ammunition without a gun license—but now they have also been charged with the murder of Leslie.
Reports suggest that Franklin and Flowers are affiliates of the PIV (Peace in the Village) gang, while the now-deceased Leslie was an affiliate of the BLC (Backa Lands Crips) gang.
They are expected to return to court in regard to the murder charge on November 3, of this year.