Just days after police officially closed the investigation into the death of nineteen-year-old Kevin De Paz, new evidence is shaking things up. De Paz was fatally stabbed during a chaotic street brawl in Caye Caulker, an incident that involved duty police officers. Surveillance footage appeared to back the officers’ claims that they stepped in after De Paz’s group knocked a man unconscious. But what followed was a violent escalation, leaving five people stabbed. The officers say it was self-defense, but the case is far from over. Police are now awaiting directives from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado gave us an update on where things stand.
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“In reference to the fatal stabbing incident that occurred the thirtieth of June, 2025 in Caye Caulker, further directive was given to the investigators. Additional evidential material were collected and those will be forwarded to the DPP for her guidance and directives.”
Reporter
“You can’t tell us what kind of evidence?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“It included both video evidence and additional witness statements.”
A quick trip to the store nearly turned deadly for one man in Dangriga last week. What started as a routine errand ended in chaos when three armed men stormed into Naybaz convenience store. In the terrifying moments that followed, the suspects burglarized the shop and shot one of the patrons. Thankfully, he survived, but the incident has left the community shaken. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero has a brief report on this brazen attack.
Hilberto Romero
ACP Hilberto Romero, Head of Crime Investigation Branch
“On Friday, police responded to a robbery at a Naybaz store in Dangriga. Upon the arrival, they learned that the store had been robbed by three male persons. There were three females at the store and one customer. There was a struggle between the customer and the robbers where the customer was shot. He was identified as Ashton Bodden. He received gunshot injuries to the hand. Quick police response ed to the detention of one suspect. The fled in the vehicle. Several other parts run out from the vehicle. Investigation was carried and since then Tyree Steven has been arrested and charged for three counts of robbery and one count of use of deadly means of harm. The victim is receiving treatment of the KHMH and is in a stable condition. We are seeking three other suspects in regards to this investigation. Recovered was the vehicle used in the robbery and a thousand dollars from the robbery.”
It’s a proud moment for Belizeans everywhere, seventeen-year-old Lewis Cheek is earning global recognition for his brilliance. This young Belizean/American just clinched a silver medal in science at the 2025 STEM Olympiad in Barcelona, Spain. It’s a major international competition where students from around the world put their skills to the test in real-world problem-solving, critical thinking, and innovation. We caught up with his proud mom, Samantha Hessler, who shared more about Lewis’s incredible journey and what this win means for their family, and for Belize.
On the Phone: Samantha Hessler, Mother of Lewis Cheek
“He’s been there since July ninth and he’s leaving going back to the us tomorrow July fifteen he has been doing very well and so far he has won a silver medal in science and a medal of recognition for math. I feel very proud and excited and I want to big up my son and make people know, because I come from a small country of Belize, my kids are half Belizean and they are so smart, and I want other children to feel like, there’s no limit you can accomplish anything.”
Britney Gordon
“And have you heard from him since the competition began? How is he feeling?”
Samantha Heffler
“I’ve spoken to him every day, including the day every time he goes to sit for the competition. When he did the science and the math competition, he told me that he is feeling a little, not sure about the math, but was very confident with the science.. And so far his medals has shown that he has done very well with the science and the math.”
Good evening, sports fans, and welcome to another exciting edition of Sports Monday. I’m Paul Lopez, bringing you the latest action from courts, fields, and stadiums across the country. We’re tipping things off out west in San Ignacio, where the weekend’s spotlight was on the Belize Elite Basketball League. The Cayo Western Ballers were back on their home court, hosting the Belize City Thunderbolts, just days after handing them a tough loss at the Civic Center. Could the Thunderbolts bounce back, or would the Ballers keep the momentum rolling? Let’s dive into the highlights.
Four minutes in, the Thunderbolts have a nine-point lead, fourteen to five, as Flowers finds Jamie Carbajal who powered his way in for the layup. Check this play out shortly after, ball to Dennis Flowers the third. He sees Jaheim Ciego. A two versus one situation and Ciego dunks off the alley hoop. The first quarter ended with the Thunderbolts on top, twenty-nine to twenty-one points. Second quarter action, Victor “Vito” Evans, drives, spins, jumps and makes the shot. What a beauty. Thunderbolts up by eleven. Darnell Oden on the other end, immediately after, sizing up Charles Garcia and makes the jump shot to cut down the lead.
Let’s fast-forward to the last few minutes in the third quarter. All through the quarter, the Thunderbolts were able to maintain a lead, going up by eight points in a few instances. Here they’re only up by two points after a three from Ciego. Evans drives and dishes off to a wide open Clency “Cope” Lopez at the three point-line. Lead extends to five points. On the other end, Alrik Nicolas scores a three-pointer to bring the lead back to two. Nicolas again, off the assist from Ciego, this time to take the lead. But that quarter still ended with Thunderbolts up by two points, sixty-seven to sixty-five. The fourth quarter was where the Thunderbolts truly turned up the heat. With this clutch shot from Mathew Young, they stretched their lead to seventeen points. The Cayo Western Ballers weren’t going down without a fight, though, they clawed their way back to within four points with just twenty-three seconds left on the clock. But in the end, it was the Thunderbolts who sealed the deal, taking the win 87 to 81.
Now, from the hardwood in San Ignacio to the volleyball court in El Salvador, Belize’s National Senior Men’s Volleyball Team had a busy weekend at the Men’s Final Four Championship. They kicked things off strong with a 3–1 victory over the host team, El Salvador. Saturday brought a nail-biter against Guatemala that went the full five sets, but Belize came up just short. Still, they bounced back on Sunday with a win over Nicaragua to bring home the silver medal. Big congratulations to Team Belize!
And volleyball fans, the action isn’t over yet. This weekend, all eyes turn to the Belize City Civic Center as Belize gets ready to host the Under-23 Women’s Central American Volleyball Championship. We caught up with Belize Volleyball Association President Allan Sharp to hear what fans can expect from this highly anticipated event.
Allan Sharp
Allan Sharp, President, Belize Volleyball Association
“Last year our girls pulled gold. It is the first time ever for Belize to pull gold and that is the U-21. For the most part it is the same girls. But we have been able to strengthen a little bit, because it is the U-23, one year later. So we have added some big guns to the team. The girls in the U.S. have returned. Five teams will be here, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Belize. It starts Sunday. There are two matches per day.”
Team Belize is set to play on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Game time is at seven thirty p.m. each day.
Now, shifting gears from volleyball to cycling, three young Belizean athletes made waves in the U.S. over the weekend at the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. Devyn Major, Keith Enwright, and Ahmaad Cherrington took on the Category Four race, and they didn’t just show up, they showed out! Major sprinted to a first-place finish, Enwright followed right behind in second, and Cherrington rounded out the top ten in seventh. Big congratulations to these rising stars repping the Jewel with pride.
And finally, we head back home to the pitch for the William Dawson Peace Cup, where the mission is unity through sports. Saturday’s showdown between Graveyard FC and Survivors FC was a thriller. Three goals lit up the first half, with Survivors taking a slim lead. Graveyard pushed hard in the second half, but it was Survivors’ Tyrique Ciego who sealed the deal with a late goal, his second of the match, giving his team the win. Well Folks, that is all we have for you in this week’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.
Earlier this week, Belize joined three other CARICOM nations in committing to full free movement of people under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. What does that mean? Well, starting October first, 2025, citizens from participating countries will be able to live and work freely across borders, no special permits needed. The announcement came at the close of the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica. So, what does this historic step mean for Belizeans? We asked Prime Minister John Briceño for his take.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“As to the free movement of skilled people in CARICOM, we signed on to it but what he said let us have a three year period as we work out the kinks to make people move in and out more freely. If you were to talk to the private sector they would tell you we need more people, we need more workers, not only at the lower level, but middle management and upper management. So, we are hoping that by doing that, maybe instead of bringing people from England or anywhere in the world, our CARICOM brothers and sisters can come to Belize to help with the development of this country. We asked for a three-year period to work that out. We signed on to it.”
Reporter
“We have people here already.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“This is where now it is being signed through treaty, through CARICOM and so we are saying that we will work it through over the course of the next three years. Look at the attorneys, the local attorneys were saying oh the attorneys from the Caribbean will flood Belize. That did not happen. In every aspect there has never been flood in Belize, but the truth we need more workers, we need skilled laborers in Belize, more skilled laborers. That is no offense to Belizean laborers, cause we have very good laborers. So I don’t want you to go twist my words, because we have very good skilled laborers in Belize. But, we need more. The economy has been growing fast and we cant keep up. The only way we can continue the growth and meet these needs is by having the proper laborers, theone that works form the bottom to the top to maintain a minimum of five percent GDP growth.”
Even as Belize takes a significant move toward regional unity with the new CARICOM free movement agreement, there’s a growing concern that’s hard to ignore. Could this open-door policy make Belize a hotspot for illegal migration into the U.S.? Immigration officials have already turned away several Jamaican nationals over suspicions about their real intentions. So, with borders set to open wider, is Belize at risk of becoming a regional transit point? Prime Minister John Briceño says the country must stay vigilant and protect its national interest.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Unfortunately the United States Government holds us responsible when anybody comes here and they try to get across the U.S., which is unfair and unfortunate. We have seen a number of Jamaicans, who have every right to come and visit Belize, every single right and they can stay in Belize if they wish, as a CARICOM national. Unfortunately, many of them come to Belize and disappear and there are many instances you find out that they are across the U.S. or arrested. So we have to protect our interest and do everything possible to discourage that type of illegal migration into the United States. So that is the only reason we do that.”
It’s been three days since News Five knocked on Belmopan’s door with two Freedom of Information requests. One was sent to Public Service Minister Henry Charles Usher, asking for full transparency on government rental deals with private landlords. The other? Directed to Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa, requesting details on an advisory contract with former Deputy Commissioner of Police Aaron Guzman. Prime Minister John Briceño was also looped in on both requests. So, what’s the response from the top? We caught up with the PM on Thursday—and here’s what he had to say.
Britney Gordon
“Have you received News 5 Freedom of Information Act Request. WE sent two regarding rent and contracts being issued?”
Frustration is bubbling over at UB, where faculty and staff say they’ve waited long enough, ten years, to be exact, for a long-promised salary adjustment. Now, they’re calling for a nine percent raise, and they’re pointing fingers at the government for not following through on its pledge to boost the university’s subvention. Prime Minister John Briceño says he’s watching the situation closely, but will that translate into action? We put that question directly to him.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I have to wait. On Tuesday the minister of education will give us a report and then we will see what is their recommendation.”
A local furniture company, Belize Woodmark Designs Limited, has applied for a logging license in the area but concerns are already surfacing. Chief Forest Officer Wilbur Sabido has raised red flags, warning of serious ecological, hydrological, and even archaeological risks. So, will the Briceño administration greenlight the concession despite those concerns? Prime Minister Briceño says if logging is to happen, it must be done sustainably. But is that enough to protect one of Belize’s most treasured natural landscapes? Here’s what we found out.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I was a minister responsible for natural resources and the forest department. The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve was set up by the British almost a hundred years ago. It is for logging. Now, during my time we start to talk about sustainable logging and that is what we have been doing. I spoke to some of the technicians in the forestry department and they are saying, what this company did is that they are applying for a sustainable management contract with them. We have that already. We have it in the Chiquibul where Bullridge is working already in the Chiquibul with a sustainable logging. I don’t hear anybody the cry over it. With enforcement of course and it is running very well. You can ask Amin Bedran. They are trying to do it sustainably. We are doing it the right way. We want to protect the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. We want to protect it. It is in our interest to protect it and that is exactly what we are doing.”
There’s political buzz coming out of Caye Caulker tonight. Prime Minister John Briceño is standing firmly behind Chairlady Seleny Villanueva-Pott, who reclaimed her seat in the recent village council elections. But the win didn’t come without controversy, especially after P.U.P. Mayor Wally Nuñez threw his support behind Pott, instead of his own party’s slate. The prime minister, though, says Nuñez had every right to back whoever he believed in.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I think that the chairlady point out very quickly that she is a PUP and Wally felt that she is a friend and a colleague of him and he wanted to support her and he did. That is his right. And, the important thing is that Caye Caulker had two very good young ladies running and they decided to stay with Seleny and I support that.”
