Murder investigation looks at police role

The death was shrouded in mystery from the initial discovery of the body … but little by little information is emerging on the death of a young man that increasingly points in a direction that has made many people uncomfortable.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
The family and friends of twenty-eight year old Rennick Ryan Reneau strongly believe that at least one police constable was involved in the murder of their loved one because of an incident that occurred five days before the young father’s body was found in a drain in the Vista Del Mar area. According to Reneau’s cousin, Marion Brooks, who did not wish to appear on camera, she was at home on Church Street between nine and ten on the night of October twelfth when Reneau left his bicycle at her house to go and have a beer across the street at Kim’s Restaurant and Bar. Brooks says when Reneau did not return, she became concerned and then she heard a single gunshot ring out from inside the establishment.

Voice of Marion Brooks, Rennick’s Cousin
“I went upstairs and I sit on my verandah, which is opposite Kim’s, and the area is very bright that I could see the entrance of Kim’s because I was waiting for my cousin to return for his bicycle. And I sit fi like ten or fifteen minutes that’s when I heard a big noise, a gunshot. When the crowd bust outside from Kim’s entrance, I spotted my cousin. That’s when he run come cross to me to explain what happened in the club. He state to me that he was dancing with a young lady and the policeman aimed a gun at him and he actually baxed (slapped) the gun out the policeman’s hand, that’s when the policeman’s brother got shot.”

The policeman who pulled the gun and accidentally shot his own brother in the foot has been identified as twenty-nine year old Police Constable 390 Lincoln Lewis, who is attached to the Patrol Branch in Belize City. Sources close to the investigation told News Five that the report they received is that Lewis, after entering the club with a male friend, met up with his brother inside and the trio went to the bar for drinks. Shortly afterward, Lewis reportedly saw Reneau dancing with the young woman. Lewis reportedly told Reneau that the female was his girlfriend, but after Reneau asked the young woman if this was true and the girl did not answer, they continued to dance. That’s when Lewis fired the weapon, described as a point thirty-eight revolver that sources tell News Five is a weapon that was reported missing from the Patrol Branch.

Brooks says she does not know Constable Lewis, but say she saw some men, including an injured man, exiting the building.

Voice of Marion Brooks
“At that time from my verandah I could see that the policeman is hopping outside. Both of them is hopping or jumping outside the building and there was a third person who is proceeding for a taxi. What I really wanted to see was the person faces. That’s when Rennick told me those policemen wanted to kill him and my advice to him was to go home.”

Brooks says no sooner did her cousin leave her house a police vehicle pulled up at the scene.

Voice of Marion Brooks
“I heard the policeman saying, saying to the other one that got the shot that he was holding, that you have to get me out of this. And before they left, the last one that gets in the car, I heard him say, “this noh finish yah yet.” And that was it and they rode off.”

The following Saturday morning, Rennick Reneau, who was an office assistant at Positive Vibes Radio, showed up at work. According to security guard Errol Smith, Reneau remained at the media house from eleven a.m. to one that afternoon before leaving on his bicycle.

Errol Smith, Security Guard, Positive Vibes
“He seh, well mi brother a going and he just left and went around Coral Grove. So I come out through the gate and over that side I stand up where this car is and I see Rennick just singing and went. That was the last time.”

Smith says at no time did Reneau tell him about any problems that he may have had with the police or anyone else on Friday night. What happened to Reneau after he left Positive Vibes remains a mystery, but Lavern Olivera says since she has been on the airwaves she has been receiving information that makes her believe the police are involved. She says that sometime later that night around midnight, a car picked up her son from the St. Martin De Porres area and that was the last time he was seen alive.

Lavern Olivera, Mother of Murder victim
“Well dat dah weh a youngman come and tell me that the last place he see Rennick dah back a village. He say, he see a policeman pick up Rennick. He seh the man weh pickup Rennick, dah wah policeman ker Rennick. Dat dah weh he come and tell me. I noh know how true it is, but he said da wah policeman ker Rennick. Even one of my own cousin know.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Know what?”

Lavern Olivera
“Bout Rennick. They know, everybody back deh weh mi deh back deh that night, they know who kill Rennick.”

The source close to the police investigation did tell News Five that they received similar information from a witness, but that person has yet to show up to give a formal statement.

Two days after Reneau’s body was discovered, on October eighteenth, the police did detain P.C. Lewis, but by six that evening he had been released, reportedly due to the lack of corroborating statements. According to Olivera, Lewis should have been detained for the required forty-eight hours and at least charged for discharging a firearm in public.

Lavern Olivera
“He should a mi still yet get charge, he should a mi still yet get charge. Cause my son mi wah get charge, but I noh know weh they di hide. I know that they know that this incident concern my son. I know that they know, cause dah noh like wah private place they mi deh inna. Da wah public place they deh inna. How much other people no coulda mi get shot?”

Errol Smith
“Well somebody must have killed him.”

Voice of Marion Brooks
“I do believe so strongly yes, the police are involved in my cousin’s death and all I want is justice. That’s all.”

Police told News Five that the matter remains under investigation and at this time they have no suspects in the murder of Rennick Reneau.

Police press officer Bart Jones told us that P.C. Lincoln Lewis has denied involvement in any bar shooting and when detained, no weapon was found in his possession. Jones also says Eastern Division Commander Allen Whylie has no knowledge of any weapon missing from Patrol Branch and as for Lincoln’s brother, Ashton Lewis, the man wounded in the bar shooting, he claims to be clueless as to who may have fired at him. Meanwhile, a three thousand dollar reward has been offered by Positive Vibes and the Belize Times for information that leads to the arrest of Reneau’s killer.