BELIZE CITY, Wed, Oct. 31, 2018– Albert Stephen Moreira, 27, a Belize Defence Force soldier of a Fabers Road Extension address in Belize City, was arraigned on a charge of murder when he appeared today before Magistrate Emerson Banner.
No plea was taken from him because the offence is indictable, which means that a plea would only be taken at the Supreme Court if the case is sent up there for trial after a preliminary inquiry is held to determine if a prima facie case has been established.
Also, because of the nature of the offense, the court could not grant Moreira bail. He was remanded into custody until November 30.
Police say that sometime between October 11 and October 19, Moreira intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of Felina Margarita James, 36, a domestic worker of Sarteneja Village, Corozal District, who was missing for 8 days.
On October 14, Ivette Roches, 69, a domestic worker of Thurton Lane in Belize City, reported to the police that on October 10, James left her two young sons in her (Roches’) care and told her that she would return for them on October 12, but she did not come back.
On October 19, police received information from a male caller who reported that he had found a body in some bushes at Mile 2 1/2 on the Coastal Road. When police arrived at the scene, they found the decomposed body of a woman who was lying on the left side of the road. On the body of the woman, whose feet were bare, was a pair of black short pants and a pink brassiere. Her hands were tied with a black blouse.
Later on that same day, the body was identified as being that of Felina James by her aunt, Lucia Bolon, 51, a resident of Belmopan.
Bolon was able to identify the body after observing a tattoo of the name “Albert” that was on the left side of the deceased woman’s breast and a tattoo with flowers that was on her abdomen.
A post-mortem examination revealed that James died from a chop wound to her neck.
On October 23, based on information they received, the police went to Steadfast Village, Stann Creek District, where they saw a dismantled maroon Kia Sorento SUV that had the VIN number of the vehicle that belonged to James.
Police recorded statements from witnesses which indicated that Moreira was the last person with whom James was seen before she disappeared.
Moreira, a soldier of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), was James’ boyfriend for about 3 years, and the two were the parents of a 2-year-old son. James also had a husband who lives in the US, and there are conflicting reports as to whether she was going to move to the US to reunite with her husband or if she was leaving her husband to be with Moreira.
James’ family has confirmed, however, that Moreira was abusive towards James, and there is an allegation that the two had an argument on the day James went missing, on October 11 — an argument that may have led to Moreira killing James, if he is indeed the person who committed the horrible crime.
As a result, Moreira was arrested and charged.