Cab Driver Gunned Down in Old Capital

Patrick Dean Tillett Sr.

There have been four shootings in less than forty-eight hours in the Old Capital. And tonight, one man is dead and two others are in critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The spate of violence started on Monday, but on Wednesday night, a taxi man was fatally wounded around ten o’clock while a sixteen year old student was left brain dead in another shooting not far away. The deadly shooting took place on Cairo Street behind Xtra House; taxi operator, Patrick Dean Tillett Senior from Hattieville did not survive the attack on him. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

On Wednesday night, thirty-nine year old Patrick Dean Tillett Senior sat on a cement block in front of a house on Cairo Street in Belize City. Just before ten p.m., a lone gunman came up to him and fired at least one shot; the bullet would pierce his left arm and enter through his armpit to penetrate his heart. Tillett Senior died within minutes of being shot. He was rushed for medical attention, but died shortly after arriving at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Supt. Hilberto Romero, O.C., CIB, Eastern Division

“Police personnel visited the K.H.M.H. where they found Patrick Spencer with a gunshot injury to the armpit and to the arm. He succumbed to his injuries thereafter. Investigations reveal that he was sitting on a piece of cement block on Cairo Street when a person approached him and fired several shots at his direction causing the fatal injuries. His car was parked at another street adjacent to that street.”

Patrick Dean Tillett Jr.

“Nally,” as he was affectionately known, is originally from Hattieville and is the brother of former Hattieville Chairman, Kevin Carcamo, who is still missing. His death is yet another tragedy for the family in a period of less than a year. Nally’s son, who carries his namesake, says it is still surreal to him that his father is dead.

Patrick Dean Tillett Jr., Son of Murder Victim

“I found out about it like 10:05 because a lee gial call me and tell me that dehn just kill my pa, but I neva believe. And when dehn tell me that, I start to get text on Facebook and then I started to ask. I believed when one of my pa friends called and told me that dehn just shot my pa, but neva know if ih dead yet. when we reach dah the hospital, dehn say ih mi done dead.”

The well-known taxi-driver, who worked in the vicinity of the terminal, would frequent the area regularly and is not known to have any run-ins with the law. So who would want him dead?

Hilberto Romero

Supt. Hilberto Romero

“We have no motive at this time. Our investigators are on the ground doing their work and we have no motive at this time.”

Duane Moody

“Sir where is Mister Spencer from and why was he in that area?”

Supt. Hilberto Romero

“He resides on Antelope Street and information is that he goes to that particular area to hang out after he is finished working from the Bus Terminal.”

Patrick Dean Tillett Jr.

“I noh know why dehn woulda want kill ahn cause he run taxi and den de and he talk mostly to everybody. Always deh out dah Novelo’s Terminal and friends with everybody so I noh know why dehn woulda want do that.”

Tillett Junior also shared his fondest memory of his father.

Patrick Dean Tillett Jr.

“Pan Saturday, ih used to always tell me stay in my house and keep my Sabbath and noh go no way and noh make no friend lead me astray. And he used to always give me advice of not to play around in life. But ih dah mi wah good father to me. I noh know why anybody woulda want kill ahn.”

Three nine-millimeter expended shells were recovered from the scene, but no one has been detained in this latest homicide. Duane Moody for News Five.