PLACENCIA, Stann Creek District, Belize, Mon. Feb. 24, 2025
U.S. national, Boris Mannsfeld, 56, the founder of the highly successful Boris Mannsfeld & Associates real estate company in the Placencia Peninsula, is dead. According to Belize Police, the real estate magnate was assassinated on Friday night at his home in the signature Cocoplum Villas real estate project in Maya Beach.
His death is notable, coming after the – still unsolved – murder of Ricardo Borja, 28, in August 2023 in Belize City, and the shooting death of 43-year-old Darren “Dalla Coin” Taylor at his home in April 2024 in Dangriga. Both men were reported to have had business links. Borja was described as a proficient land consultant who had worked with one of Mannsfeld’s now former associates. Upon Borja’s passing, it came to light that Borja had given police purported evidence implicating that same associate in widespread land fraud dating back to 2019. In the case of Taylor’s murder, it was also deemed a targeted hit, as nothing was stolen from him. Today, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams revealed that they identified a suspect for the Taylor murder, but he is still at large.
Not long after the Taylor murder, when the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Cordel Hyde spoke to the media on the two deaths, he shared that upon investigation, they learned there were over 300 transaction instruments that Borja’s company, JC Consulting had presented to the Lands Department, but there was never any follow through. In one case that came to light, a woman reported that she had paid a sizable sum to the same Mannsfeld company, and when they had heard nothing about their title a year later, they made queries with Boris Mannsfeld & Associates, who responded that JC Consulting, the closing company that they, the intended buyer had hired, had not paid in the $60,000 stamp duty as expected. Minister Hyde commented, “If you are looking at 300 transaction instruments and damn near 80% of them were not completed, then that seems to be an elaborate scheme; that’s not accidental.”
Sharing what their investigation has revealed thus far, Commissioner Williams stated, “The shooting death of Mr. Boris Mannsfeld has all indications of a hit.” Williams shared that Mannsfeld had just returned to Belize that same day, having been in and out of the country since Borja’s assassination. Coincidentally, the man police suspect in Mannsfeld’s killing, and who is currently in custody being questioned, was also a person of interest in the Borja murder.
Mannsfeld had moved to Belize from Colorado in 2006. By 2010, he had founded the real estate company. He shared that he first visited Belize in 1992 while backpacking during a break from graduate studies. Like many others who have been spellbound by the charms of The Jewel, Mannsfeld proclaimed love for the country. Just last month, Mannsfeld sent communication to his clients citing sweeping real estate fraud he said his company had been inadvertently drawn into due to the actions of the same former associate that Borja had called out. He alleged that the fraud spanned multiple countries and involved millions in stolen money and properties plus the murders of Borja and Taylor. He also indicated in that communication that he was involved in a $3.9 million suit against a former business partner, and revealed that in the event anything happened to him, he had left evidence with key people and international media outlets.
Compol Williams shared that Mannsfeld was in his yard on Friday, February 21, at around 9 p.m. when he was targeted and was shot to the back of his neck. He died with his still holstered, licensed 9mm pistol beside him. His wallet was also on him with Belizean and U.S. currency. Williams admitted that they currently do not have much to go on, but said they are looking into Mannsfeld’s business transactions to possibly arrive at a motive. The ComPol would not say if there was any surveillance footage available. At this time, there are reports that there were up to 11 civil suits against Mannsfeld himself.
Commenting today on this latest murder in the real estate world, and the repeated call for regulation of the real estate industry in Belize, Minister Hyde shared, “Well, our legal counsels in the Ministry have worked really hard to come up with a draft legislation. They’ve completed that. I can tell you, I think it’s a very impressive, comprehensive draft legislation.” According to Hyde, the document is at the Attorney General’s Ministry for review. Thereafter, there would be consultation, and it would then be presented in parliament. Hyde concluded, “Once that is passed, it means that all those real estate agents, those real estate persons, those mortgage persons, those land consultants would have to get licensed – would have to be qualified in some shape or form. There is a criteria they will have to meet. There are certain courses they will have to take. There is a certain code of conduct they will have to follow, and if they don’t follow [it] there will be consequences to that … And, ultimately, I think it will provide a level of regulation in the industry that has been missing for all these decades; and it will weed out a lot of the crooked folks that are in this business, that are operating almost lawlessly.” It would be the first time Belize would have legislation regulating the real estate industry.
Speaking on the murder and the fraud allegations both from Borja and Mannsfeld, Hyde said that the Belize Police Department and the Financial Intelligence Unit are actively investigating the cases. “I know, because they’ve been in touch with the Ministry, and the Ministry has had to cooperate, has had to provide information, has had to give them the kind of access required to make the investigation continue,” Hyde remarked.