The families of both accused men are saying they are innocent and police are targeting them!

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Apr. 9, 2024

Murder charges have been brought against two Roaring Creek men who are suspected of being responsible for the death of a 29-year-old police corporal, Dylan Anthony, a resident of Camalote Village, Cayo, who was fatally shot in late March while riding his motorcycle on the Roaring Creek bridge on his way home.

The two accused men are Hugh Daniel Middleton, 29, and Marlon Kenrick Gideon, 18.

Initial reports following the shooting had indicated that the shooting was a case of mistaken identity, and that the individual whom the men intended to kill was known to ride a motorcycle that is similar to Anthony’s.

“From our investigation, it tells us that Gideon was the driver of the motorcycle, and Middleton was the pillion rider and the one who executed the act upon PC Anthony. Both of them will be charged,” said Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, at a police press conference on Monday, April 9.

The families of both accused men, however, are claiming their innocence. Gideon’s mother, Jacqueline Mendez, told reporters that her son is a talker, but not a killer.

“My son nuh wahn kill somebody,” she said. “I know Chester [Williams] feel like ih got di two person weh kill da policeman, but I know eena mi heart dem pikni innocent, but di real person weh do it deh out ya, and ih nuh fair. Chesta hafto do ih job. Yo cahn send innocent people da jail,” she said.

Mendez further commented, “… I tink dehn di target my son because he always deh pan cycle [and] ih got wahn big mouth. But, dat nuh means, [because] ih like talk and [deh] pan cycle ih means he da wahn murderer. Dis da wahn big ting fu mek you seh somebody murder somebody. Yes, I feel fu di people weh lose dehn son; but at di same time, yo cahn pick up anybody.”

On the night before the shooting of PC Dylan Anthony, gunshots were fired in Roaring Creek, and it is being said that those shots were allegedly intended for an individual known as “Big Worm”, who is believed to have been the target of the shooting on the following day that claimed Anthony’s life. It is being reported that “Big Worm” is an affiliate of Gideon, and that the two grew up together, and those who believe in Gideon’s innocence are claiming that the two would not harm [each other]. Notably, according to Commissioner Williams, “Big Worm” is currently being held at the Belize Central Prison under the current State of Emergency (SOE).

Similar claims of innocence are being made regarding Middleton, whose common-law wife, Jennylee Tamai, is claiming that he was with her on the night of Anthony’s death. She went on to say that Middleton had recently been released from prison in mid-March, after being on remand for the 2021 murder of Clifford Hyde. Tamai believes, however, that, although the charges against him were dropped, the police continue to classify him as a dangerous individual.

“I believe that when he came out, if anything should happen in Roaring Creek, the police would want to pick him up because of his background; but he came out and he wanted to [do] better for his family,” she said.

Tamai further noted that when the murder of PC Anthony took place, she told Middleton that police would come after him; but he was in disbelief, until he was informed days later by an acquaintance, Aaron Gamboa, during a casual conversation, that he was wanted for questioning and would be released later.

“He got his mind set to [what] Mr. Gamboa told him, that he was only going to be there for two days and they would release him. So, he went in [and] didn’t know that they were cooking up something to charge him with. I know he’s innocent, but not everyone wants to hear that; the Police Department [doesn’t] want to hear that because of his rap sheet that he has, but he is innocent of the murder,” she said.

When members of the media asked Commissioner Williams to comment on Tamai’s claims, he replied, “Everybody innocent! What the girlfriend of Middleton said, he came out just a week prior to the murder? Go to Roaring Creek and interview people; they will tell you, as he came out of prison, Roaring Creek turn over. He was at home, according to her, when the shooting happened; but as the shooting happened, police went to his house [and] he was not there. I’ll leave it at that.”