Photo: Wilmer Rivera, charged with multiple offenses

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 22, 2023

A woman is lucky to be alive after an ex-boyfriend of hers violently attacked her during a brief conversation between the two on Friday, May 19. The victim has been identified as 27-year-old Jasmine Aguilar, and the alleged culprit is 31-year-old Wilmer Rivera, a construction worker from the Gungulung area.

According to reports, Aguilar was standing, waiting for a taxi on the roadside at the entrance of the Linda Vista Estate off the George Price Highway at around Mile 2 when she was approached by Rivera on a bicycle and they engaged in a conversation; then shortly after, he attacked her with a knife-like object, with which he slit her throat and stabbed her in the abdomen.

Rivera then attempted to flee from the scene, but an ex-police officer who was also at the scene apprehended him and kept him restrained by brandishing his licensed firearm until the police arrived at the scene.

Aguilar was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and underwent several surgeries.

Reports suggest that Rivera had been consuming alcohol minutes before he approached Aguilar and attacked her.

According to ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander for Eastern Division of the Police Department, Aguilar had filed a report of domestic abuse with the police, but the matter was handed over to the Domestic Violence Unit.

Police have charged Rivera with attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm.

Jasmine Aguilar is the mother of one little girl.