Unitedville Family Speaks Out After Wrongful Murder Accusation

Tonight, we bring you the story of a man who says he was wrongfully accused in the murder of Police Constable Oswald Young Senior. The incident has sparked strong reactions. The Ministry of Home Affairs has called the killing a targeted attack on law enforcement, while police say they are working urgently to bring those responsible to justice. But for one family in Unitedville, that investigation took a painful turn. They say they were treated like criminals until evidence proved otherwise. Here’s Zenida Lanza with the following report.

 

Zenida Lanza, Reporting

On Friday night, police responded to reports of gunfire in Unitedville. When they arrived, they found the body of Police Constable Oswald Young Senior, who had been shot multiple times.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“On Friday 10 October, 2025 at approximately 9:30 PM San Ignacio police receive information of shots being fired in Unitedville, Cayo. Police responded, and upon police response, the body of Oswald Young, a Belizean police officer of Unitedville Village was observed to be exhibiting gunshot wounds. The investigation so far has revealed that at the aforementioned time, Mr. Young. was awaiting transportation to Belize City to come and work at the Belama Precinct four police station. It is reported that at that time, an unknown male person approach him and fired several shots which resulted in his untimely demise. No motive has been ascertained so far.”

 

That same night, Jamil McKoy, a mechanic from the area, was arrested for the officer’s murder. He says he was out with his wife, children, and a family friend when police pulled up as they arrived home. Earlier that evening, he had stopped at a gas station, a bank ATM, and a food shop. Surveillance footage later confirmed his account, showing he was not near the scene of the shooting when it happened. McKoy says he was pulled from his car, read his rights, and handcuffed, accused of killing a man he had no prior conflict with.

 

Jamil McKoy, Unitedville Resident

“We had a nice relationship, you understand? No kind of back and forth. From I know him, we never had an argument, no fuss, no fight, nothing. Its sad. Its very sad to hear that too. I wish they find the killer. Because its sad, it’s really sad. My condolence goes out to the family as well”

 

McKoy says he only became a suspect because, after the shooting, people in the village started calling his name. His wife told us she believes it all came down to timing that night. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

Lynette Mckoy, Unitedville Resident

“I was saying maybe because we were coming home late that night. That’s why I was trying to ask the officer, what time did it happen? He couldn’t give me that information. Well I said ok, I have a receipt in my vehicle that I just came from the bank. They have to leave that to him. Wait until all the search is finished and everything, then he came and gave me the receipt and said, hold on, you will need this. And I saw him walk to the next police, and check the time, he must have said, Ok, the time is close. I didn’t know the time, honestly we didn’t hear anything. No shots, nothing. I had two persons here. I had one here sitting down ,and the next one there. When you open this window, you can see directly in my house. I only have one door. So if he had to come out, they have to see him.”

 

The experience was particularly painful for the family, who lost their nine-year-old son to a stray bullet just four years ago. McKoy says apart from that tragedy, he’s had no run-ins with the law.

 

Lynette Mckoy

“I didn’t like the way they attack us either. The way the man came out, I was trying to explain that I had my son in the back sleeping. He didn’t even want me to open the door. He was just their with their guns, and my daughter was there running and screaming. She cried the whole night. I didn’t like it. I nuh like it.”

 

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs describes Officer Young’s killing as a targeted attack on a member of the Belize Police Department. It says the ministry condemns the act and is supporting the ongoing investigation to bring those responsible to justice. The police department also offered condolences to Officer Young’s family.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“The Belize Police department similarly would like to express its sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Young. He has been a police officer for the past 23 years, and at the time of his passing, he was working at the Belama Police Station. It is a loss that the department has taken with great concern and certainly it is one that the department is interested in conducting an investigation into with the hopes of bringing those persons responsible to justice.”

 

Tonight, the search continues for those behind Officer Young’s murder. Meanwhile, Jamil McKoy says he hopes no other innocent family has to go through what his wife and children did that night. Reporting for News Five, I’m Zenida Lanza.