In Ladyville, 2 Shot Dead; 2 More Injured

Marlon Spain & Casey Lozano

Within hours of the execution of Paul Jex, a double murder around seven p.m. rocked the Ladyville community. Casey Lozano and Marlon Spain were gunned down on Marage Road in the Japan area of the village. Two other persons were injured and lived to tell the tale of the deadly ambush by two gunmen who appeared from bushes before taking aim at a group of men inside a yard. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Around six-forty-five p.m. on Tuesday night two gunmen ambushed a group of men as they stood here near the junction of Marage Road and Compassion Lane in the Japan area of Ladyville. Marlon Spain was hit multiple times and died on the spot. But as the group scattered to escape the bullets, the gunmen would set chase after Casey Lozano who was shot to the back and side; he also died en route to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“Police were called to an area in the Marage Road where they observed a male person on the ground motionless. This person was learn to be Casey Lozano and another male person by the name of Marlon Spain. Both of them had several apparent gunshot wounds to the body. Casey Lozano was found about two hundred yards apart from the first body. So far what police has gathered is that there were a group of male persons hanging out in front of a yard where Lozano and Staine were part of that group when two lone gunmen came from a bushy area behind the house fired several shots at the male persons. There were other bystanders who received injuries to themselves. Police processed the area where they found several expended shells.”

Alejandro Cowo

Two other persons, including an innocent bystander, were injured in the shooting; luckily their injuries were not life threatening.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“Also upon making checks at the K.H.M.H., police observed two other male persons suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to the body; they are Sydney Humes and Johann Gray. Both of them were admitted last night and they were discharged this morning because of minor injuries that they had sustained.”

The murder has rocked Casey’s family because he was the cook in the family and would be the support at his mother’s restaurant.  Cynthia Usher says this is the second son to be killed. She had a conversation with Casey just before the shooting happened. Usher says all three of her sons ran from the gunmen, unfortunately Casey could not escape the barrage of bullets aimed at the group.

Cynthia Usher

Cynthia Usher, Mother of Casey Lozano

“I saw him jump on his bicycle and ride out. I…not even two minutes, I hear a barrage of gun fire and I was like oh my god; my kids are out there. I hope it is not one of them. And by the time I ran out, I saw two people running and I didn’t know who it was. It was my third son, he said mommy open the door and I said dah what. And I saw the other one coming from the side so I opened the door and tell them what happened, where is Casey because Casey just ride. Ih say mommy he’s coming. So I said where is he; he should be here and nobody knew. So I call his phone. I made three calls to his phone and no response and I got frantic. I called Chester Williams, I called Chris Noble because I made several calls to 911 and neither of the calls went through. So I called the only next two persons I knew would have responded right away. And they told me that somebody is coming and I came out back with my son because I didn’t hear any more gun fire cause now I am looking for Casey. And so I asked them where did you come from, and I saw the police truck coming up the same time so I ran out to the road and I explained to them that one of my sons is unaccounted for. So I told them to walk back to where you ran through. And they went back and I was out there talking to the cops and they said, mommy he’s here, he’s breathing. So I immediately run to where he was. There was a bright light back there. They jumped the fence and he was unable to jump the fence, so he was right there, the police came and they took him, but he passed before.”

Marlon Spain died on the spot, near the steps to his house on Marage Road, some two hundred yards from where Casey’s was found. According to police, he has not had run-ins with the law and was caught in the gun violence. His family says they want answers for his murder.

Voice of: Randolph Spain, Brother of Marlon Spain

“Man dehn appear out of the bush and shoot mi lee bredda and thing. He just mi come outside of the house come from drink a glass of water and as he step yah so, the gunman come from through the bush yah and shoot the man. All ah dehn mi deh out there, but he di come out of the house di come down, but the rest mi dehn mi di sit down out dah front deh so. So as he step out ih look like the gunman dehn come from through the bush and shoot the man.”

Reporter

“You have any idea why deh woulda wah shoot he?”

Voice of: Randolph Spain

“Still noh got no idea cause we dah noh trouble people. We noh give no trouble or we noh got no problem with nobody. So it still puzzling.”

While a motive has not been established for the murder, police say that several of the victims have had run-ins with the law and they are following all leads.

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“At this point in time the investigation is still at a very infant stage, and to determine who is the intended target, I cannot tell you directly. But we suspect that one of the persons who was there was the target. The persons that were in the yard, several of them have had many run-ins with the law and they have been charged several times for different offenses so we at this moment cannot tell you that this is related because of this or anything. They have had several instances that they have already been detained and charged for several offenses there at Ladyville.”

Three persons have been detained and police are looking for two others in connection with this double murder in Ladyville. Duane Moody for News Five.

In the case of the double murder of the Oh sisters in Punta Gorda, five persons are currently detained pending further investigation into the homicides.