4 Murders on the Weekend; Were Policemen Responsible for Death of Gion Peebles?

Gion Peebles

The murder statistics went up by four between Friday night and this morning. Aside from a slew of other acts of violence, four persons were killed at different locations: three in the Belize District and one in the Orange Walk District. Early this morning, police were called to the scene where the body of a man was found on the Hattieville Burrell Boom Road. This same person, Gion Peebles, was picked by the cops on Sunday night on Mahogany Street. But according to relatives, he was never processed at any police station in the jurisdiction. News Five’s Duane Moody went looking for answers.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Did police officers play a role in the murder of twenty-five year old Gion Kyle Peebles? That’s what the family believes after his body was found this morning on a dirt road off the Boom/Hattieville Road in rural Belize District. Just before nine a.m., the body of the Belize City youth was discovered partially nude by persons traversing this dirt road. Sometime between Sunday night and this morning, he was taken to the area and executed. Police say he was shot multiple times to the head and body.

Edward Broaster

ACP Edward Broaster, Regional Commander, Rural Eastern Division

“At about eight a.m. this morning, we were called out to an area between the Boom/Hattieville Road where the lifeless body of one male person was discovered. That individual was learnt to be one Gion Kyle Peebles, a twenty-five year old of Croton Lane address in Belize City. The scene was processed and we discovered a number of expended shells on the scene and that matter at this time is being investigated.”

According to the family, Peebles was on Mahogany Street near Lina’s Supermarket when he was picked up by two police men around seven p.m., twelve hours before his body was discovered. The family says checks were made soon after he was picked up, but he had not been taken to the police stations. So where was he?

Voice of: Shantel Thomas, Sister of Murder Victim

“According to his friends, last night he was picked up by two police officers and his friends contacted other friends and everybody was concerned. So they called the police stations, they went to look to try and bail him, but he was not there. Where did the police take him? But he was found up the road dead.”

Duane Moody

“So he was never checked in at the police station?”

Voice of: Shantel Thomas

“Not by what the friends who called and went to check. He was not there. Honestly, I don’t know what happened; I was not there. But if the police pick him up and took him, what you think happen if he was found dead after that.”

ACP Edward Broaster says that they have received a similar report and they are investigating.

ACP Edward Broaster

“We have received those reports that he allegedly was picked up by police last night and we are investigating that matter as to who may have picked him up in Belize City.”

Reporter

“Just to see that gap, to see if police officers were the last persons to see him and what happened from them picking him up to his body being found this morning.”

ACP Edward Broaster

“Like I said we are investigating those reports to see what transpired between the time of him being picked up and to the time that led to his untimely death.”

Duane Moody for News Five.