‘My Son Was All About Love; He loved his Family’

A grieving mother is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her son. “My son was a humble, respectable young man. My son is all about love. He loved his family,” said Esmith Valerio, mother of 35-year-old security guard Darwin Valerio.

Valerio was one of two security officers on duty at the Belize Water Services warehouse in Lord’s Bank Village. It was shortly after 1 a.m. when a group of men breached the compound and opened fire. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but later succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.

According to police, Valerio stepped away to patrol the area but never returned to the security booth. However, more reports indicate that Valerio was alone in the security booth after his coworker stepped away to patrol the area.

Belize Water Services’ Chief Human Resource Officer Hayden Brown said the guards routinely coordinated movements during patrols. “One guard had indicated to the other that he was going to do rounds, and I believe that’s when the incident happened,” Brown said.

Valerio’s father, Domingo Valerio, said the family is leaving it up to the police to seek justice. “If it doesn’t, then the good Lord knows,” he added.

BWS said the incident has shaken the company and confirmed it is reviewing security protocols while assisting police with surveillance footage as the investigation continues.