BELIZE CITY, Fri. March 6, 2020– Alden Lara, 20, a construction worker of 196 Antelope Street Extension, was charged with the murder of Michael Barrera, 52, when he appeared today before Magistrate Khadeem Palmer. She explained to him that she would not take a plea from him because the offence is indictable.

She also explained to Lara that she could not offer him bail because of the nature of the offence. She remanded him until June 2.

Barrera, a former counselor and youth activist at CYDP, who resided on Raccoon Street, was riding his bicycle to his home when he stopped at “Sue”, a restaurant and fast food shop at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Iguana Street, to purchase food.

While he was in front of the shop making his order, a gunman appeared and fired a shot at his intended target, who, according to reports, slid behind Barrera to avoid the bullet, then fled, and as a result, Barrera was shot in the back of the head.

Barrera fell face-down on the pavement and died on the spot. Two bicycles were seen at the scene. One of them was the bicycle Barrera was riding, and the other is believed to have been ridden by the gunman’s intended target.

Feature photo: (l-r) Michael Barrera, deceased and Alden Lara