Guatemalan Authorities Silent on How Budna Was Detained

The Belize Police Department has launched an investigation into “an incident involving Mr. Ryan Joseph Budna, which occurred on Friday, August 22nd, 2025, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Hospital Crescent in Orange Walk Town.”

According to the department, while Guatemalan authorities confirm he is in their custody, they have not disclosed how he was detained. “The Policia National Civil (PNC) of Guatemala has confirmed that Mr. Ryan Joseph Budna is in their custody pursuant to an arrest warrant; however, they have not disclosed the details surrounding his apprehension,” the statement said.

According to an official statement from the Commissioner of Police, a witness reported seeing a confrontation involving several individuals, one of whom matched Budna’s description, before he was forced into a dark-coloured SUV with Belize City license plates.

Police say the area was secured and processed, a vehicle of interest has been impounded for forensic testing, and investigators are reviewing surveillance footage.

Meanwhile, Guatemala’s Policia Nacional Civil (PNC) confirmed that Budna, 45, is now in their custody under a long-standing arrest warrant for escape dating back to 2019.

Adding to the mystery, an audio recording obtained by News 5 allegedly features Budna claiming he was abducted by Belize police officers outside the Orange Walk Police Station after a live media report. He says he was beaten, transported to Arenal on the border, and handed over to Guatemalan authorities.

The PNC maintains Budna was wanted since his 2019 escape from the Santa Elena Preventive Center in Petén, noting his criminal record, which includes kidnapping, firearm offenses, and assault.

For now, Budna remains behind bars in Guatemala, but the unanswered question of how he got there remains at the center of controversy.