Elderly Businesswoman Stabbed to Death in Bullet Tree Falls

Tonight, residents of Bullet Tree Falls are reeling after an elderly woman was found stabbed to death outside her home. She is Marty Thorne, owner of Raw Spa Cabanas, and a well-known member of the community. She was discovered with several stab wounds early this morning by one of her employees, promoting a police investigation. This incident follows a home invasion that occurred on Friday, where one resident was tied up and robbed of his vehicle and other possessions. As of now, police are still piecing together what could have led to Thorne’s tragic death. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

What began as a peaceful Monday morning in Bullet Tree Falls quickly turned into a scene of shock and sorrow. An employee at the popular Raw Spa Cabañas made a chilling discovery just outside a residence, his boss, Marty Thorne, the spa’s owner, was found dead near her home. Authorities say she suffered multiple stab wounds, up to eight in total. The community is reeling, and police have launched a full investigation. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith shared more details about this tragic incident.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“Police are investigating the death of sixty-five-year-old Canadian National Marthy Ann Thorne, which occurred in Bullett Tree Village Cayo District. The incident occurred sometime around seven-thirty a.m. today, when the care taker of a property owned by Ms. Thorne reported to police that upon visiting that area he called out to Ms. Thorne but was not able to locate her. He made further checks on the property and that is she was located in the yard with visible injuries to the body. The scene was processed, and the body of Thorne now awaits a postmortem examination.”

 

 

Thorne, a Canadian national, had been living in Belize for several decades and had become a familiar face among the Bullet Tree community. Michael Waight, neighbor and long-time friend of Thorne, is devastated by the news.

 

Michael Waight, Friend of Deceased

“I got the news this morning because the caretaker that work with her and come and tell me that there’s  blood and he want me to come and see. That’s when I heard in news about it. We didn’t know what was happening so I told him not to interfere. Call the police.”

 

 

 

 

Thorne lived alone in her home, as her husband and kids lived in Canada. Waight said Marty had become like family to both him and his wife, who are devastated and struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking news.

 

 

 

 

Michael Waight

“I knew Ms. Thorn. We are like family. I know her from the time she came in Belize. We’ve been friends. Like I know her kids, they always say Uncle Mike and we are a good buddy, but I never believed what’s happened to her. I was really sad what happened.”

 

 

 

Waight, who has called the community home for over fifty-eight years, says he never imagined something so violent could happen right in his backyard.

 

Michael Waight

“As I see the blood, I was already thinking that this is something not good. So I tell him, call the police to find what’s going on better. You know what I mean? But I was not happy what I see, I never has seen something like this my first time. Very scary.”

 

 

 

He voiced concern about the growing number of crimes in the area, saying it’s becoming a troubling trend for the community. As a business owner himself, he hopes that more can be done to increase security in the area, so that local businesses are not continuously negatively impacted.

 

Michael Waight

“This is something that is very, really wrong and bad to the village and the business, because I have a business from thirty years. I never had seen something like this, and this is really putting my business down, and the reputation and what’s going on, and I feel that Bullet Tree has to get good protection.”

 

 

 

Thorne is remembered as a kind woman, whose character would not warrant such a violent death. Family and friends remain puzzled as to what could have motivated such an attack.

 

Michael Waight

“Ms. Thorne was a good people. It’s a nice people. He never have no kind of enemy. I never saw her with enemies. She was a very friendly person, a very good person, like a family.”

 

Now the community is calling on authorities to restore peace and ensure the continued protection of all residents in Belize. Britney Gordon for News Five.