Bernard Timmons Chopped to Death in O.W.

Bernard Timmons

There were three murders reported since our break on Tuesday night. Two of them occurred after the Independence Day festivities and the victims in both cases were men from Belize City. We turn first to Orange Walk Town where a carnival parade had also just ended and people were still gathered on the streets celebrating. But that did not deter the will of a machete-wielding man from carrying out his intention, which was also reportedly captured on surveillance cameras. The victim in this instance is Веrnаrd Тіmmоnѕ, a resident of Nеаl Реn Rоаd, who was chopped across the neck. News Five’s Marion Ali went to Orange Walk for answers and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting
Forty-three-year-old Bernard Timmons had just traveled from Belize City to Orange Walk Town to observe the Carnival parade in that municipality.
Sometime around eight-thirty, he reportedly got embroiled in a heated altercation with two men in front of this Asian store. They left the premises with the two men in front and Timmons walking a distance behind. Timmons stopped at this spot and was standing in this corner just off the walkway on the Веlіzе Corozal Rоаd when someone came through the walkway and chopped him across the neck with a machete. The bloodstained spot marks where the father of four fell. The Police Department’s Director of Communications, A.S.P. Fitzroy Yearwood shared what info they had gathered on the incident up to this morning.

Fitzroy Yearwood

A.S.P. Fitzroy Yearwood, Director of Communications, Belize Police Department

“The investigators are saying that they were briefed that a fight took place at that location on the Belize Corozal Road but it had nothing to do with the actual Orange Walk Carnival. This incident took place a little distance away from where the carnival event was being held and this person had several injuries to his neck and succumbed to his injuries minutes after being transported to the Northern Regional.”

While police are still collecting the evidence, they say they have a few persons detained for questioning. Meanwhile, Timmons’ mother, Emelia Flowers who lives in Orange Walk Town told News Five that he had called her saying he was in Orange Walk.

Emelia Flowers

Emelia Flowers, Mother of Deceased
“He call me I think exactly two 0’clock cause we left here quarter to two. When he called ih seh “mom where you at?” I tell ah I’m at home. I tell ah but we jus di lef tru the gate fi mek we goh get wa place fi park. Soh he seh “ma I really nuh know up ya but I nuh know which part I park.” Soh I tell ah when we reach out deh ah wa call yoh. But we couldn’t call he again because ah the noise, soh ih neva mi wa ansa ih phone. Arite, as the parade ease off and the crowd pack the street yes because the parade done, we gone down by (a restaurant) and we reach by Shell One Stop soh when we reach deh I she “Travis call yoh bredda and see which part ih deh. Soh he di call, he di call, he di call, straight to voicemail, straight to voicemail.”

Emelia Flowers said she tried to call Timmons after the parade, but got no response. She said she never got to see her son.

Emelia Flowers
“I expect that he mi gwein home early because da he and one ah ih bredda come up but he just nuh want listen. When ih bredda seh let’s go he cudda mi seh okay, breds and he cudda m8 gone. Why stay back you one? He know i live ya. If ih mi so intoxicated ih cudda mi call. Ih got wi numba, or drive and come at least fi come rest the night and goh home this morning. I nuh mi wa have a problem. But I wish I mi only meet my son cause if I mi meet ah eena da condition ih mi wa come home with me, but I neva did meet ah.”
The bereaved mother said Timmons, who had tried to reform his life, had asked her recently to care for his children.

Emelia Flowers
“Sometimes ih wudda put ih hand pahn mi head and ih seh mommy promise mi that if anything should happen to mi, just promise mi that yoh wa help tek care ah my kids. I seh Bernard ah nuh want hear that because I nuh want hear nothing bout dead right now. Yoh strong. Just stop the drinking and focus pahn yoh family.”

Flowers, whose birthday is next Monday, must now spend this time planning, not a celebration of her life, but a funeral for her son. Marion Ali for News Five.

Police are also investigating another murder that occurred in Chan Pine Ridge. The body of fish vendor, fifty-year-old Sergio Giovanni Valdez was discovered early this morning.