Caretaker for Lord Ridge Cemetery killed at his bedroom window

russel neal

The other murder happened in the old capital. The Lord Ridge Cemetery will be the final resting place for the man who took care of the graveyard for a decade. Fifty-eight year old Russel Neal was killed at his home by a gunman who fired the shots through the window. Police are questioning his ex-wife and other relatives. News Five’s Jose Sanchez followed the story today.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

Russel Neal, the caretaker for the Lord Ridge Cemetery, was killed inside his home after one this morning. According to his co-workers, his murder is linked to an argument he had with his ex-wife earlier on Tuesday morning at the house where the graveyard workers normally meet at the Western Highway entrance to Belize City.

Solomon Gabourel, Co-Worker of Murder Victim

solomon gabourel

“She get an amount ah money from ah and she stated that she never wanted that, she wanted more. He step off and he went back into the house and he decided that she mi wah crash di argument wid ah. She stepped in the middle of the road right there and she started threatening him. The direct statement was that she’s gonna kill him and she’s gonna mek them kill him right now. So for a minute I watched him and he said ih head started hurting him right cause as I explain today my bredrin and dem seh he had pressure. So ih look like ih pressure went up and he got ignorant cause she’s threatening this man. He just ran down the steps like to approach her and she was riding off same time so he just gave her a tap to shub her off on the bike and tell her go.  So from him doing that she lost control and ran into that wall on the other side of the street. She then fell and burst her face open. The bike flipped over and she went over to the next side by Mr. Carter’s business and she was shouting over there that she’s gonna kill this man, she’s gonna let them kill this man. So he was riding off going up that way like to crash this argument and she is telling him why are you going anywhere cause they’re coming right now to deal with him.”

Soon after, Russel Neal’s stepsons returned.

Solomon Gabourel

“These two individuals came; one stood over there by Rosado building, the next one came up directly up the step and spoke with him direct. At one point we saw where he calmed down the first individual that came to him. He told I don’t mean to hurt your mother, your mother came out here and disrespect me. And he calmed down the first individual. But while that individual moved from in front of him, the other one was over there and he tell him les go and that one didn’t want to move cause he was standing over there with the intention to do soemtihng. After that, the both of them went back home and stated that they did not do him anything cause the way it looked to me is that their mother sent them there to deal with him and that issue.”

The issue was dealt with at one in the morning. A gunman stood outside his house on Neal Pen Road and shot him through the window. One shattered glass louver is the only visible sign of Neal’s murder.  Neal’s girlfriend ran to Deborah Miller’s house after witnessing the shooting.

Deborah Miller, Friend of Murder Victim

deborah miller

“She tell me dehn drop asleep pan di floor front ah di TV. Ih seh weh wake she dah when she hear wah loud bang. Ih seh when she hear di loud bang, ih seh she mi think dah di police. All she hear Mr. Neal halla, you shot me, I got shot. Ih seh and den Mr. Neal come een and ih di fumble and ih di knock down things. She seh and she di ask ah weh ih get shot. Ih seh when spin ah over so she si dat ih get shot by yah ih seh and den she just pull down wah towel and try apply pressure pan di thing. Ih seh Mr. Neal di bawl and tell ah please noh lef ah and ih love ah and ih seh di last thing Mr. Neal ask ah fi do, if ih could please call ih wife.”

His friend says that Neal was not a man of violence but a peaceful man who helped others in need.

Jason Archer, Friend

“Mr. Neal was not a bad man. Right now I noh even have wah job and Mr. Neal, I miss di man; I cry dis mawning. Sadly, to hear dat di man get hurt.”

Jose Sanchez

“I understand I help wah lot ah people.”

Jason Archer

“He help me. I noh even have wah job right now big man and each and every day dis man tek it out ah ih pocket and give me a job.”

Goldburn ‘Easy Glen’ Adolphus, Friend

“I was kinda homeless one time inna di part ah mi life weh I mi di go through some lee obstacle and thing. He dah mi di man we mi di run di burial ground. He had said well Easy man if yoh noh got no way fi stay I wah find some way fi yoh stay. And he had helped me out and find somewhere fi I rest. So my brother, I could just remember when I mi first meet di man and di man was an alright person, an alright person. I can’t seh dat di man dah any kind ah trouble man.”

Jose Sanchez

“I understand he picked out his own spot where he hoped he would have been laid to rest.”

Voice of: Coworker of Murder Victim

“yeah, couple months ago and thing—well, dah noh something weh ih just di seh. Ih always say it and thing. Di first caretaker weh we had, Mr. Richards, he died and he deh ova dah side deh too. We got wah empty space way ova dah side deh too weh he mi wah always go to di roadside.”

dion leslie

Dion Leslie, City Councillor

“He’s been working with the council just over ten years now. In my short stint that I’ve been with the council, over a year and a half, I’ve worked very close with Mr. Neal on many occasions; personal, family occasions for burial and for friends. He was one of the nicest guys you can meet, one of the most helpful guys and this is a tremendous loss for the City Council. In fact he was the glue that held the cemetery together. He knew where everyone was, he had his papers, he had everything set together and it’s a loss to the council.”

Jose Sanchez

“He still wanted to be there; is that a possibility?”

Dion Leslie

“Yes, it is a possibility. As I said before, there are spots available throughout the cemetery. Mr. Neal was the boss of finding spots and so we know that there are spots. Good thing Mr. Neal had an understudy who knows where the available spots are and we’ll find something good for Mr. Neal; it’s only deserving to him.”

Neal will have his wish and his bones will be laid to rest where he chose. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.