“Kevin” Killed, Joseph Budna Injured in San Ignacio Shooting
Joseph Budna
There were four murders recorded over the weekend – two in Belize City and two out west, in the Cayo District and in two of the incidents, minors are the victims. We begin tonight’s newscast with the murder of a teenager, believed to be a minor, at Smith’s Family Farm on Branch Mouth Road of San Ignacio Town. A gunman opened fire in the direction of the room to a cabin where Joseph Budna and another person, believed to be a minor, were in. They were both hit multiple times and taken to the hospital, but while Budna survived the attack, the teenager died while receiving treatment. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Around nine o’clock on Sunday night, shots rang out off Branch Mouth Road in San Ignacio Town. Joseph Budna was reportedly inside his bedroom with someone who frequented a cabin where he lived at Smith’s Family Farm, when a gunman opened fire. The bullet holes near the window are evidence of the barrage of bullets aimed at the property. Both Budna and his friend received injuries; unfortunately the young man died while receiving treatment at the San Ignacio Community Hospital.
Voice of: Roy Smith
Voice of: Roy Smith, Manager, Smith’s Family Farm
“He congregates with us from time to time and he has his own colleagues and friends that he brings from time to time of his free will.”
Duane Moody
“Were you here on the property when the shots rang out?”
Voice of: Roy Smith
“Well we were having dinner last night about 8:30 – 9 and we heard a screaming and we heard someone run in the bushes too as well. We are approximately about twenty-five yards from his house. He asked for help and we scream and all our family came out and went to his place where he reside and we saw him come out with blood on his belly, blood on his feet and we called the police immediately. The police took about five minutes to come and from there they take over.”
Manager Roy Smith says that Budna has been a tenant at the farm for the past nine months. He later realised that another person was mortally wounded inside the cabin. It was a frightening experience for Smith who says that there are children who also live on the property and in proximity to the scene.
Voice of: Roy Smith
“I saw Mister Budna come out humping bleeding, with blood on the side of his belly and his feet. We heard moaning in the house of someone else that we didn’t recognize until the policeman came and brought him out on stretcher and its one of the frequent friends of Mister Budna that he brought here from time to time and they rushed them to the San Ignacio Station. It’s very frightening for us to hear such amount of bullets. We heard about eight to nine bullets and it was very scary because we live pretty close. We have kids; we have our elders that live here too as well.”
It has been established that the deceased frequented Budna’s home, however, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says that investigators have not been able to identify who he is nor his age, to confirm if he is a minor or an adult.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The information was gathered that two persons were shot. One of those persons is a male adult and the other presumably is a minor. And I say presumably because we have not been able to get a proper identification of the second person. Those persons were taken to the hospital displaying varying degrees of gunshot injuries. The adult was treated and released, while the person, presuming to be a minor, succumbed to injuries received. In interviewing the adult in this case, the adult is saying that him and this person who is believed to be a minor were in bed lying listening to some mellow music when the sound of gunshots were heard and him and the other person were injured. He further went on to disclose that he believed that the shooting was done by another person, who he alleged wanted to engage in sexual activity with him for a certain sum of money, but he does not have that amount of money so he declined that offer.”
Budna is no stranger to the local media or law enforcement. He is wanted by Guatemalan authorities after he escaped from prison for crimes of kidnapping and extortion. He has, over the years, also alleged police harassment. Is he now at risk of being charged locally for his engagement with the alleged minor?
Chester Williams
“He end up in bed with this other person who is believed to be a minor. At this time, we are investigating the matter to ascertain what really happened and to see if any possibility that charges can be brought against the adult. Again it will be based on the age of this person. What we are gathering is that the person may be sixteen. If he is of sixteen years, then he would be within the age of consent; if he is below the age of sixteen, then he would fall outside of the age of consent. And so we will be able to look to see if we could bring charges against the male adult in this particular case. This is the activity of this individual, the adult male in this instance, luring minors to engage in sexual activities. And I mean male minors, not female, so it is something that we are looking at.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
