Tonight, a police officer is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being charged with serious criminal offenses involving the use of a firearm inside the Hattieville Police Station. Corporal Lawrence Jerome Martinez, a thirty-six-year-old resident of Belize City, appeared in the lower court this afternoon where he was arraigned on a pair of criminal charges before a senior magistrate. It is alleged that on January sixth, the policeman drew a firearm and inflicted injuries upon Patrick Tillett inside the police station. Martinez has been charged for aggravated assault and wounding. Due to the nature of the offenses, bail was denied and he was placed on pretrial detention until April thirtieth. Additionally, Corporal Martinez also saw the cancellation of a bench warrant that had been issued for his arrest, as he also has a traffic case before the magistrate’s court. He failed to appear on two previous occasions, in October 2023 and February first, of this year. The traffic case has been adjourned to March twenty-seventh, 2024.
Category: Crime
Chinese Businessman Slapped with New Charge; He Remains on Remand
A Chinese businessman, who ran afoul of the law a week ago, finds himself in more hot water tonight, despite a virtual complainant requesting no further court action against him. Twenty-nine-year-old Wenjing Lei allegedly shot Reno Castillo in the leg during an argument inside his uncle’s store in Belama Phase Two last week. Castillo has indicated to the court that he does not wish to proceed with court action against his alleged assailant; however, the Belize Police Department has brought another charge against Lei. Despite being granted bail in the sum of eight thousand dollars, plus one surety of the same amount for the initial offense, Lei has been charged additionally for discharging a firearm in public. It is alleged that on February eighteenth, Lei wantonly and without reasonable excuse discharged a firearm in a public space on Albert Hoy Street. While he pleaded not guilty, bail was denied due to the nature of the offense. He has been further remanded at the Belize Central Prison until March first.
Tourist Allegedly Scams High-end Resort
A tourist is in police custody after allegedly scamming a high-end resort of twenty-seven thousand dollars. Reports are that a man who identified himself as forty-year-old American national Nicolas Paula arrived at the It’zana Resort on February fifth seeking accommodations until February eighth. He allegedly presented proof of a ten thousand U.S. dollar online transfer to secure the reservation. However, when the transaction did not come through, Paula was confronted by the resort’s management. Paula reportedly requested a six-day extension to his stay in order to have the transaction processed. He then allegedly provided more falsified evidence showing a ten thousand dollar U.S. dollars transfer. Paula vacated his room on February thirteenth without settling his bills that amounted to thirteen thousand, five hundred U.S. dollars. The resort’s management made a report to police and News Five has been reliably informed that Paula was detained in Placencia today at another high-end resort. He was reportedly discovered with falsified travel documents, cash and other illicit items. It is believed that Paula is actually a Costa Rican named Christopher Marchena. We will continue to follow these reports.
A Mennonite Farmer is Arrested for Murder in Corozalito
A Mennonite farmer was arraigned on a single charge of murder when he appeared in the lower court in Belize City this morning. The victim, thirty-three-year-old Alexander Viamill, was reportedly engaged in a physical altercation with David Friesen when he was apparently strangled to death with a charging cable. The arrest of twenty-eight-year-old Friesen follows the discovery of Viamill’s body near a bus shed in Corozalito Village last Wednesday. Ladyville police were responding to a missing person’s report for Viamill and, while searching for him, happened upon his body a short distance from the roadside. An investigation revealed that on February seventeenth, Viamill attended a dance in Maskall Village and, upon leaving the event, was said to be heavily intoxicated. He was reportedly in Friesen’s company. Earlier today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero provided a few additional details on the incident.
Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Wednesday, February twenty-first, police responded to a report at Corozalito Village in the Belize District, that the body of a male person had been found. Police visited the area where they found the lifeless body of Alexander Viamil with injuries to the neck and face. He was taken to the KHMH where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigation revealed that Alexander Viamil was last seen a couple days before Wednesday and was reported missing the day before. Police conducted an investigation and a post mortem examination was conducted on him and the results were handed to the investigator. As a result, David Friesen, twenty-eight-years old Belizean farmer of Corozalito has been arrested and charged for the crime of murder.”
Reporter
“Has Friesen related to the police why?”
Hilberto Romero
“The investigation revealed that they were involved in a fight, at which point Viamil received injuries which caused his death.”
Dangriga Duo Charged for Murder of Belize City Transplant
A pair of fisherman, both residents of Dangriga, has been arrested and charged for the murder of Delroy Menzies. As we reported on Friday, Menzies, who recently relocated to Dangriga from Belize City, was shot and killed while socializing at the Kulcha Kitchen on February twenty-second. On Saturday, twenty-eight-year-old Egbert Martinez and twenty-one-year-old Maxwell Ventura were charged jointly for the deadly shooting. Here’s more from the Belize Police Department.
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Thursday, February twenty-second, around 9:20 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at Plum Street in Dangriga. Upon their arrival, they found the body of Delroy Menzies, thirty-two years old. He was taken to the hospital where he was to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. [An] investigation revealed that Delroy Menzies was at a veranda, at a business place, at a location when a male person came and fired shots towards his direction, causing his fatal injuries. Two persons are in custody awaiting charges in regards to this murder.”
Reporter
“Any motive?”
Hilberto Romero
“We have not established a motive at this time.”
Belmopan Shooting Victim Refuses to Cooperate with Police
An altercation at Starz Nightclub in Belmopan in the early hours of Saturday morning, ended with Belmopan resident Leon Hoare suffering from injuries he received after being shot. The incident happened in the Las Flores community where Hoare, a thirty-eight-year-old construction worker, was socializing at the establishment when he got into a misunderstanding with an unnamed individual. He left for home shortly thereafter and, upon arriving at his residence, was accosted and fired upon. Hoare reportedly ran inside his house and called the police. Despite receiving non-life-threatening injuries, the victim is refusing to cooperate with the police investigation.
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Saturday, February twenty-fourth, around 2:45 a.m., Belmopan police visited an area at Las Flores, in Belmopan, where they found Leon Hoare with gunshot injuries. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated. Information was that Leon Hoare was at a nightclub in Belmopan when had an argument with some persons. Thereafter, he went home and that is where he was shot. Leon Hoare was treated and he has since been released from the hospital. [An] investigation into this report continues.”
Reporter
“Is he cooperating with police?”
Hilberto Romero
“No, he is not cooperating.”
Reporter
“Any suspects at this time?”
Hilberto Romero
“Not at this time. No.”
Reporter
“A possible motive?”
Hilberto Romero
“There was an argument at a nightclub before the shooting.”
Brian August is Guilty of Causing Death of Vladamir Aguilar
A jury of nine has found Belmopan business man Brian August guilty of causing death by careless conduct. August was charged in connection with an accident in March 2019 that claimed the life of twenty-eight-year-old Vladamir Aguilar. It was alleged that August was driving a Chevy Silverado when he attempted to overtake a bus and collided head on into Aguilar’s motorcycle in the vicinity of Scotland Halfmoon. Aguilar was flung from his bike and he succumbed to his injuries. Almost five years later, August’s fate has been decided. After three hours of deliberation, the jury of nine unanimously reached a guilty verdict. The jury heard addresses from the prosecution and the defense. During his address this morning, prosecutor, Riis Cattouse, asked the jurors to pay keen attention to the elements that the crown must prove against August to substantiate the charge. Cattouse emphasized that August is on trial before the court for causing death by careless conduct. He told the jury that there are several elements that the crown must prove including, that someone died; that the death was caused by unlawful harm; that it was August who caused the death, that August was careless in his driving, and that he was going more than twenty five miles per hour. The law states that when driving in villages, drivers must be within twenty-five miles per hour. In his defense, August admits to knocking down Aguilar but claimed that it was not because he was careless, but because Aguilar was riding his cycle without any lights. Justice Candace Nanton has set sentencing for a later date.
Dangriga Man Murdered While Socializing
One man is dead following a shooting in Dangriga. Thirty-three-year-old Delroy Menzies relocated from Belize City to Dangriga five years ago. In October, he moved into the area where he was killed, along with his partner. On Thursday night, Menzies, his partner and a close friend of his were at Kulcha Kitchen on Plum Street. That is where they spent most evenings socializing. But, on Thursday night the unexpected happened. A gunman walked up to Menzies outside the business establishment and shot him in cold blood. Tonight, family and friends of the deceased are reeling from the loss, as they try to put together the pieces. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Thirty-two-year-old Delroy Menzies, a father of one, lost his life to gunshot injuries he sustained on Thursday night while socializing. Menzies, his partner and the owner of Kulcha Kitchen were sitting down outside the establishment, as they do daily, when a gunman approached them. He opened fire and an injured Menzies fell to the ground.
Voice of: Friend of the Deceased
“I was outside and Delly and my cousin which is his girlfriend and someone came to order a food and I get up go inside to get the food and as I reach inside I hear three gunshot and when I came outside, my cousin mih the bawl and I noticed that Delly get shot. So I called nine one one, I called the police.”
We spoke with Menzies’ cousin off camera. She told us the family is still without a clear picture of what transpired on Thursday night outside Kulcha Kitchen.
Voice of: Cousin of Deceased
“We try to put the pieces together because nobody gets the true picture as yet.
Somebody call and tell we what happened so up to now the police still nuh she nothing, suh we just have to go by what the police the do. It is very hard and it hurt very bad because it puts pain in everybody heart, not lonely his mother but everybody who loves and respects him and the community itself.”
Voice of: Friend of Deceased
“Yes I mih the yah and a vehicle just pass and she hold your gial tight and that is it. I ask dah who and he said he doesn’t know who it is. I don’t know who it is, so we don’t know.”
Paul Lopez
“When you heard that and heard remarks coming from that vehicle that didn’t raise any suspicions from you at the time?”
“No because we nuh the think nothing. We just sit down and continue talk. We nuh the think nothing, he nuh the think nothing, cause he she he nuh know dah who. So we nuh the think nothing like that.”
During our interview with Menzies’ friend, a police mobile drove by with two men in the pan of the vehicle. News Five confirmed that the men are persons of interest in Menzies’ murder.
“The body was on the ground for like two hours and change and the police didn’t want anybody to take him to the hospital and everybody the ask take the man to hospital. Deh she deh cant touch the body, nobody could take ah dah hospital. We deh ask well, if yo lef wah person fuh dead, if dah unu, you mih wah want deh ker yo dah hospital right?”
Reporting for News 5, I am Paul Lopez
Missing Corozal Man’s Vehicle Allegedly Turns Up in Burrell Boom
Fifty-seven-year-old Rosalito Pacheco, a taxi driver from Corozal Town, mysteriously disappeared in early February. Today, a family of three, a mother and her two sons, was dragged before the Belize City Magistrates Court to be arraigned for handling stolen goods. Police allegedly discovered Pacheco’s vehicle and keys at the home of forty-four-year-old Tricia Young, a resident of the Fresh Pond area in Burrell Boom Village. Young and her two sons, eighteen-year-old Imari Young and twenty-two-year-old Christopher Young, have been jointly charged with the crime of handling stolen goods. The trio appeared before a Senior Magistrate with attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley. At their arraignment, they pleaded not guilty to the charge. Their attorney then asked the Senior Magistrate to take record of his clients’ time of detention and when they were brought to court. Bradley contended that the time exceeded forty-eight hours and violated the rights of his clients. Imari and Devin Young also told the court that they were badly beaten by police officers while in custody. The brothers allege that plastic bags were placed over their heads during interrogation and that they were beaten with a two-by-four piece of wood. The court took note of these allegations and with no objection to bail, the trio was granted bail in the sum of two thousand dollars each, plus one surety of the same amount. The court also demanded that they report once a week, on Fridays, to the Burrell Boom Police Station. We heard from their attorney outside the courtroom.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney
“The disturbing thing is that in the case of the two sons, you heard them individually explain to the senior magistrate the ordeal that they suffered in the case of the second accused, I won’t call his name, he was badly beaten at the police station in Burrell Boom, where in addition to, as he said, wapped several times in a two by four and a plastic bag being put over his head while handcuffed to try to get some air and he was punched and kicked and the younger brother who is only eighteen also suffered some beating at the hands of the police to end up with a charge that they were handling a stolen vehicle which was not found in their yard. It is a serious matter for the police in the sense that the vehicle is said to be owned by a person who has gone missing. So we can understand that they are trying to breakthrough with an investigation but that is no excuse for what we heard in court this morning that the commissioner of police and the minister responsible for the police who are in government for three years need to have some written guidelines and public know. And don’t tell us to make a report at Raccoon Street, noting ever comes out of that. We need an independent investigative arm that deals with police officers who behave like criminals. That is uncalled for to try and suffocate someone to get information which they didn’t end up getting anything for.”
Mexican Car Theft Duo Handed Three Years in Prison
A pair of Mexican nationals will spend the next three years behind bars at the Belize Central Prison after pleading guilty to the charge of theft and abetment to theft of two rental vehicles. Back in July 2023, a 2020 white four-door Kia Sorento and a 2021 white four-door Equinox, each valued at sixty thousand dollars, belonging to Budget Auto-Rental Car were stolen. The duo is comprised of Alejandro Gonzalez, who is charged with theft and Carlos Morales, who is charged with abetment to theft. They were arraigned on October 2023 and appeared today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim who stated that if the men had been tried and convicted before a jury at the High Court, then the penalty would be the same, which is no less than ten years. However, Pilgrim began the penalty at six years and after revisiting the case made before the crown and its proven elements, Pilgrim noted that the duo cost the company more than two hundred thousand dollars in losses and inflicted psychological damage as well. As a result, the starting penalty was raised to eight years. Pilgrim proceeded to deduct three years due to the pair showing signs of remorse and an additional year and eight months was deducted for their guilty pleas, leaving both with a three-year, four-month sentence for each car to be run concurrently. Pilgrim also ordered Vasquez to pay a sum of forty-six thousand, five hundred dollars with depreciation for the loss of the Equinox, while Morales was ordered to pay the sum of forty-seven thousand, seven hundred seventy for the Kia Sorento.