_{Photo: George Brown, deceased}

by Charles Gladden

HOPKINS, Stann Creek District, Wed. Jan. 8, 2025

Belize recorded its second murder of 2025, eight days into the new year, when 18-year-old George Brown, also known as “Guru”, of Hopkins Village, Stann Creek District, was fatally stabbed after 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, reportedly by his brother-in-law.

Reports suggest that the deceased Brown had loaned his sister a jacket the night before. The following day, Brown and a cousin were walking on an unnamed street when they saw the accused – 37-year-old Steven Flores, self-employed of Hopkins Village – coming toward them on a bicycle wearing the said jacket.

_{Photo: Steven Flores, charged}

When Flores got close to Brown he was asked to hand over the jacket, and in response he flung the bicycle at Brown causing him to stumble, and a brawl then broke out between both persons. During the fight, Flores pulled out a knife and stabbed Brown multiple times. After being stabbed Brown ran away, but he didn’t make it far from where he suffered the injuries when he collapsed on the ground.

Flores was detained by police officers soon afterwards; however, footage of the ordeal that was captured via cell phone shows that while he was being led away by the police he was bombarded by friends of Brown who attacked him with rocks.

The angry mob began to get uncontrollable, thus, one of the officers let off several warning shots in the air in an attempt to disperse them. Incredibly, video footage then showed Flores chasing his aggressors with a machete, until he was detained again by police and sent to the Dangriga Police Station.

“We are treating this as a murder at this time, unless there is some element of self-defense that he may raise; then the file will go to the DPP for directives, and that is where we are at this time,” said Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams.

Flores has been charged with murder.