Notorious Jose Matus is Executed in Belize City

Jose Matus

This afternoon, shortly after twelve p.m., gunshots rang out in the vicinity of Grace Primary School on Faber’s Road Extension.  Reports of an assault rifle being fired in succession reverberated across the neighborhood.  When the shooting subsided, forty-eight-year-old Jose Matus was observed behind the steering wheel of his vehicle.  He was mortally wounded.  Also injured in the deadly attack were siblings Breena and Brineya Brown.  Police say that Matus arrived on Singh Street to pick up the sisters when a van approached his vehicle, a pair of gunmen alighted and let loose a hail of bullets in their direction.  Tonight, Belize City police are bracing for reprisals, following the hit on the underworld figure.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A well-known street figure was executed in Belize City at midday.  El Wapo, as Jose Matus was otherwise known, drove this blue GMC Envoy along Faber’s Road Extension and turned into Singh Street.  He continued for two blocks and, upon reaching the corner with Rio Grande Street, stopped to have a conversation with a pair of women from a nearby property.  Moments later, a shower of bullets from a nine millimeter handgun and an assault rifle tore through the driver’s side of the mid-size SUV.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We can confirm that one male person was shot and killed a few moments ago right in this area.”

Injured in the deadly spray of gunfire were two women, including the daughter-in-law of the homeowner.  She was at work when she received word of what took place near her residence.

Voice of: Singh Street Resident

Voice of: Singh Street Resident

“I mi deh da work and I just get di news dat deh seh dehn shot up di house, but da noh di house, and my daughter-in-law and ih lee sista get shot.  According to weh I hyah dehn seh my daughter-in-law mi gaan talk to ih lee sista out deh and sohn vehicle, me noh know, and she get shot.  But ih mi got di baby eena ih hand.  Dehn seh she mi di run.”

Isani Cayetano

“What are the extent of the injuries for your daughter-in-law and her sister, as far as you either saw or as far as you know now?”

Singh Street Resident

“Well when I mi gaan da di hospital, before I reach home, I see like ih three fingers dehn di heng off.  Ih tell me ih get shot up eena ih leg.  Di next lee sista get shot up eena ih chest part.”

As many as twenty-seven rounds were fired at the vehicle.  On Singh Street, evidence markers littered the scene.  According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, the past twenty-four hours have seen an escalation in violent crimes in Belize City.

Chester Williams

“We do have a flare up currently and we met this morning to see how we can address the issue and the police will be doing what needs to be done to get control of the situation. I am not going to disclose what we are going to do, but I can assure the Belizean people that we are looking at the issue and we are going to deal with it.”

The fact that Matus was executed in a residential neighborhood a short distance away from Grace Primary School, and just a stone’s throw away from a nearby property where a number of young children often play outside in the yard, raises serious concerns.

Voice of: Singh Street Resident

“Four babies mi deh ya.  Suppose da mi di babies dehn.  People just noh think.”

Isani Cayetano:

“When you got the news that something had happened not far from where you are, I presume you rushed home to see what was happening.”

Voice of: Singh Street Resident

“Yes, I rush home eena wahn shock, but first I sih when the police ker di people past, soh I just gaan da hospital first before I reach home.”

The hit on Jose Matus succeeds a previous attempt on his life in mid-October.  As was reported at the time, Matus was driving a vehicle in the vicinity of Morning Glory Street when someone emerged on the scene and fired multiple shots at him.  He escaped that incident unscathed.  This time, the Corozal resident, who relocated to Belize City, was not fortunate to escape grave injury.  A wave of reprisals is anticipated in the wake of Matus’ murder.

Chester Williams

“I can assure the Belizean people and particularly the residents of Belize City that the police will be doing what needs to be done to make sure the city is safe for the holidays.”

Isani Cayetano for News Five.