BELIZE CITY, Fri. Jan. 11, 2019– Early this morning, around 1 a.m., a sleeping Stephen Leiva, 43, was awakened and lured out of his house before being attacked by an unidentified man.

According to police reports the incident occurred near BelChina Bridge, where Leiva rents a room. When police arrived about half hour after the incident took place they saw Leiva with multiple stab wounds on his body.

Initial investigations revealed that Leiva, who is a taxi driver, was sleeping in his rented room when he heard a knock at the door. According to preliminary reports, when Leiva opened the door, he saw two women; however, today, ASP Alejandro Cowo said that there was only one female at the door, and that while that woman stood at the door, other persons were waiting, out of his view. Cowo could not confirm if any of the other persons were women.

Leiva knew the young woman at his door, who is reportedly only 16, because she lives nearby. The minor then asked to use the bathroom, which was outside in the yard, but ASP Cowo did not say why alarms weren’t raised as to why she did not just use her own bathroom, since she lives close by.

Leiva allowed her to use the bathroom, but she asked him to accompany her. While he was following the minor to the bathroom, a man came up from behind him and inflicted non-fatal stab wounds in his shoulders and neck. He was taken to the hospital where medical personnel observed that  he also had a broken arm.

The minor was detained, but later released. There are no other suspects at this time.

Cowo also mentioned that nothing was stolen from Leiva’s residence, so they have ruled out robbery as being the motive for the stabbing.