Photo: Joseph Budna, shooting victim
by Kristen Ku
SAN IGNACIO, Cayo District, Mon. Aug. 21, 2023
Over the past weekend, a tragic shooting in the West left a freelance journalist injured and claimed the life of a presumed minor.
Joseph Budna, 43, is a freelance journalist known for his prompt reporting on accidents and fatalities throughout the Cayo District.
On Sunday, August 20, around 9:30 p.m., Budna reported to police a shooting incident at his San Ignacio residence on Branch Mouth Road. Budna recounted that he and a young male, whom he identified only as “Kelvin,” were in his bed when they heard gunshots outside.
Both of them sustained injuries. Budna was wounded in his knee and hip, while his young companion was shot in the back and thigh.
While Budna was treated and released from the nearest hospital, tragically, the presumed minor later succumbed to his injuries.
Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams informed the press that a potential romantic dispute might have been the motive for the shooting. He quoted Budna as saying he “believed that the shooting was done by another person” whom he alleged wanted to engage in sexual activity with him for a certain sum of money. But he did not have that amount of money, so he declined that offer. And nonetheless, he ended up in bed with the young male who was killed, who is believed to be a minor.
The incident caught the attention of Budna’s neighbor and landlord, Elroy Smith, who said he heard about seven gunshots, followed by a cry for help coming from Budna’s cabin.
“We heard someone screaming from the cabin that we identified was the cabin of Mr. Budna that resides there. We assisted him and he was with a friend that he normally brings from time to time,” Smith elaborated.
As of now, charges have not been brought against Budna, since police are still determining the exact age and other pertinent details of the victim of the shooting, who is believed to be a minor.
However, if the young man is found to have been over 16, this would mean he was within the age of consent when he engaged in relations with Budna. Williams further explained, “What we are gathering is that the person may be 16. If it is 16 years, then he would be within the age of consent. If he is below 16, then he would fall outside the age of consent; and so we will be able to look to see if we can bring charges against the male adult in this particular case.”
It’s worth noting that Joseph Budna has previously been implicated in similar activities. In fact, he has a history of allegedly engaging in intimate relationships with male minors.
“We will do what can be done within the limits of the law to investigate, and if there is any evidence of wrongdoing on his part, I can assure you and the public that we will take or will act accordingly,” ComPol Williams stated.
There have been accusations against Budna ranging from child molestation in 2000, to kidnapping and abduction in 2013 and 2014, and involvement in an extortion ring spanning Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras.
His escape from a 30-year sentence in Guatemala and subsequent return to Belize has also been a point of contention. Budna’s freedom in Belize is attributed to the absence of an extradition treaty between Belize and Guatemala and the lack of charges against him in Belize.
In 2019, Budna expressed a desire to rejoin the media and prove to the public that he had turned a new page in his life.