Belizean Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers, 33, is remanded awaiting an appearance in the Third District Court of Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. on murder and weapons charges.
Amandala and a number of other Belizean media outlets reported in April that Flowers had died after being shot in the United States, but apparently, that was never confirmed, and family here in Belize (he has no next of kin in the U.S.) were apparently not sure themselves that he was in fact, dead.
We understand that Flowers was indeed shot, but had not died.
Amandala received a call late on Tuesday from a U.S. journalist in Salt Lake City inquiring about Flowers, which was when we learned that he was not in fact dead, and had been arrested for the death of Cisco M. Cross, 45, a Salt Lake City resident, around 12:01 a.m. on December 19, 2010.
We checked the report and found a story in local newspaper The Salt Lake Tribune, which reports that Flowers is being accused of shooting Cross in the chest with a .22 caliber handgun at his apartment on South Main Street in Salt Lake City.
The newspaper reports that Flowers and Cross had apparently been smoking crack cocaine together in the apartment when two men walked in, and, according to official documentation seen by Amandala, Cross at the same time reportedly displayed a gun hidden under his shirt to Flowers, who then shot him.
Flowers apparently told police after being arrested and cautioned that he believed Cross “had set him up,” and that the two men “wanted to kill him.” He admitted to having smoked crack cocaine with Cross in the apartment for the 24 hours preceding the murder.
“Big Tom” has been charged with first-degree felony murder and third-degree felony possession of a weapon by a restricted person under Utah’s statutes. His bail has been set at US$1 million, but he has not appeared in court as of press time.
We contacted the reporter of the story and learned that despite Flowers’ admissions, police have not disclosed whether any drugs were found at Cross’ residence, and no arrests were made in respect of drugs. We understand that the victim has been previously accused of selling crack cocaine.
Flowers is no stranger to Belizean law enforcement. He was accused of the 2002 murder of William Osmond, 36, on Mahogany Street in Belize City, while a demonstration against crime was in progress downtown.
Just a few days prior, he had been shot and injured, but would not cooperate with police on the case. Eventually, a nolle prosequi was submitted by prosecutors on the case.
In 2006, he and James Young, Sr., were shot at in the Belama Phase II area, allegedly by George Street figures Brian Brown and the late Alpheus Smith, who were charged for that incident.
Smith was killed the next year. Jody and Lynton Gentle, who are brothers, must stand trial for Smith’s murder again after their first trial ended in a hung jury.
Flowers had moved to the U.S. in 2008, a source told us in April, because he wanted to get away from his past, which this arrest apparently proves, is not easy to do.