New Year’s Eve turns deadly in Old Capital

Tonight we start the newscast with the first murder that occurred on New year’s eve. It happened in Belize City, at the corner of Waight Street and Faber’s Road. Forty-five-year-old Ian Arthurs was shot dead. His family is now left to grapple with grief and unanswered questions. News Five’s Paul Lopez found out more. 

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This morning, Sheryl Arthurs, the sister of New Year’s Eve murder victim, Ian Arthurs, stood at the very spot where his life was taken. She reflected on the lifetime of memories they shared, and void caused by his death.

 

Sheryl Arthurs, Sister of Deceased

“To be very honest, I can’t tell you how I am feeling. But, my brother Ian would tell me sis, do it sis, do it, you are strong and you know me, I will be behind you. His spirit is behind me right now holding me, telling me to do it sis, you have to do it.”

 

On New Year’s Eve night Sheryl had a very eerie feeling about Waight Street. She resides nearby. So, when her visiting daughter, Sheryln Butler, told her that she was leaving, Arthurs told her not to walk down Waight Street. But Arthurs brother, Ian Arthurs, offered Butler a ride home and he drove down Waight Street.

 

Sheryl Arthurs

“I said Sherlyn please don’t go down that street, walk straight Rivero and turn down Kraal Road, I said because every New Year Waight Street has liked a curse or a spirit or something that is haunting there.”

 

When Ian approached the corner of the street, he placed the vehicle he was driving in park to let Butler out. That is when a gunman opened fire. But, at first it sounded more like fireworks.

 

Sheryl Arthurs

“Weh deh the buss them dynamites and this is what I am saying, a next thing, the police department always say a lot of things, but they need to take control of the dynamites and that is what make people don’t know what is happening. She said because they were hearing dynamites, she was not aware that it was gunshots, until she felt a burning sensation she jumped out of the vehicle and dropped under the vehicle. When she looked in the vehicle he crouch on the side. I said, all when you thought you were hearing dynamites, Ian done get shot already. So I had my phone in my hand and Sheryln called me. She said, mom I get shot and I am on my way to the hospital, but check on uncle Ian. I said, where is he. I knocked off the call and I called Ian. I never called Ian and he did not answer me. This is the only time. Even in the hospital, I told him, Ian you need to get up, you need to get up and come home.”

 

The family believes that Ian was not the intended target. Reports are that the gunman was after the owner of the vehicle. Sherlyn says that the vehicle belonged to one of his friends, and that while he led a peaceful life, she cannot choose his friends for him.

 

Sheryl Arthurs

“The people that they are talking about, they are Ian friend. You cant pick people friends for them. We are a decent family. Everybody knows the Arthurs family.  We dah wah decent family, respectable people. Deh people dah nuh bad people either. They are Ian friends. I can safely say and put my head on the block, one million and one time, my brother did not do anybody anything and my brother did not kill anybody, I know that for a fact. Unu want to prosecute my brother because of his friends. I can’t choose his friends, God give people free will and even God nuh have control of free will.”

 

Ian is a father of five, the youngest being a two-year-old girl. It’s not the first attempt on his life. And interestingly, two of Sheryl’s children now have gunshot scars from those attacks.

 

Sheryl Arthurs

“I must say I am very blessed, I am very blessed, thank God. In 2017, they came to shot same Ian and my son got shot, and now this time. So, I told my children, your uncle left you all with a permanent mark.”

 

It is a mark they will never forget, as the only thing this family will now carry from Ian Arthurs into 2026 are those cherished memories. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.