by Charles Gladden
COROZAL, Mon. Aug. 29, 2022
Carla McLean, the sister of 66-year-old US retiree, Rodney Wayne Rushing, who was killed on August 17, moments after arriving at his home on Consejo Road in Corozal Town, is seeking answers and has made public comments to US media about the death of her brother in Belize.
Rushing had recently migrated from Alabama to Belize, approximately two months before he was killed, and was living alone with his two dogs. At the time of the shooting that claimed his life, about nine gunshots were heard by his neighbors, and when they went to the scene to see what had happened, they saw a grey Hyundai Tucson SUV parked inside his yard with the driver’s side door opened—indicating Rushing had just exited the vehicle. Approximately 10 feet away from the SUV, Rushing’s lifeless body was found in a face-down position.
There were visible gunshot wounds on Rushing’s head, upper back, the right side of his abdomen, his right leg, and his right thumb at the time his body was discovered. He was then transported to the Corozal Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
McLean told WSFA12 News that her brother was targeted, and that the motive for the shooting could have been robbery, because the gunmen probably believed he had a lot of money because be was an American. She also noted that his wallet was missing after he was killed.
“[He was] wanting a better life and then went to a place that was the end of his life. I think it may have been somebody he confided in. I don’t think Rod went around waving money, because he wasn’t like that,” McLean said.
Currently, Rushing’s family is in communication with the US Embassy and Belizean law enforcement authorities in an effort to find answers, because they fear this murder case will be forgotten.
“People get hurt. They get shut up. They get paid off and sometimes taken out—I’ve been hearing that,” McLean said.
A GoFundMe account has been created by the family in an attempt to get the necessary funds to transport Rushing’s body to the United States. They are also trying to decide what to do with his car, dogs, and other possessions.