Murder linked to Bank Robbery

Noel Usher

From politics to crime, just after seven o’clock on Tuesday night, a well-known criminal figure was executed on Reggae Street. At least two dozen bullets were fired at Noel Usher as he made his way home. Usher had survived a previous attempt on his life and has been named in a number of violent crimes, including murder. But his most recent charge was connected to the heist of Heritage Bank in Orange Walk on April fifth.  There is speculation that he is dead because he would have turned crown witness in that case. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Thirty-year old Noel Usher, charged jointly along with four others for the April fifth robbery of Heritage Bank in Orange Walk Town, was callously rubbed out on Tuesday night whilst walking along Reggae Street.  Biggs, as he was popularly known, was on his way to pick up an order of buns when he was confronted by a pair of assassins who let loose a storm of bullets at him.

Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer

“Sometime between 6:30 and 6:45 Noel Usher was walking on Reggae Street when he was accosted by two dark complexion male persons, one of whom took out a firearm and opened fire on him.  Usher tried to run away but he was hit and fatally injured.  The assailants then ran back into the direction of Caesar Ridge and unto Queen Charlotte Street, noh.”

According to a neighbor, Usher was en route to her home and had only just exited a nearby alley when he was blindsided by the duo.  Scenes of Crime technicians later processed a number of expended slugs from the scene of the shooting.

Voice of: Neighbor

“My daughter had told me that he had came to purchase an order of buns, noh and he was going to come back.  But what happened is that when he was coming through, I guess, the alleyway and things like that I guess that was when all the commotion began and eventually it end up right in front of my residence and I thought that maybe it was one of my sons because that was too close to home.”

In fact, Usher had been terminated a few feet away from her front gate where his body remained for almost an hour and a half in a pool of his blood before being carted away to the Belize City morgue.

Voice of: Neighbor

“When like all the gun smoke and everything [cleared] and we rushed out, my daughter rushed out I told her to come and see if it was one of my sons that got shot and she like, she got so weak and I screamed out because then I felt like it was my son and she came and then she told me that it was Noel.”

His murder is today the subject of much speculation including conjecture suggesting that he was set to testify against his accomplices in the Heritage Bank heist.

Isani Cayetano

“Can you speak to us preliminarily on any information which would suggest that it was either an act of him turning crown witness or anything of that sort?”

Fitzroy Yearwood

Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood

“Isani, whether or not Mr. Usher is a crown witness you would have to take that up with the D.P.P.’s Office.  What I can tell you is that we are following several theories as to why someone would have wanted him dead and yes that is one of the theories that our investigators are examining.”

On the night of June thirtieth, Biggs, along with thirty-eight year old Arden Middleton, were both victims of a failed murder attempt.  During that incident he was hit in the right side of the neck and left hand.  Last night’s shooting, despite conflicting police reports, was said to have been executed by two gunmen who fired as many as fifteen rounds at their quarry.

Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood

“We have a resident from the neighborhood detained pending an investigation actually and we hope that this person may be able to shed some light into this investigation that could help us make and arrest pretty soon in this murder.”

Noel Usher, along with Edward Arthurs, were both fingered as the triggermen in the murder of fifty-eight year old security guard Oliver Blanco in June 2006.  The charge brought against the pair was later dismissed after a nolle prosequi was entered during the trial.  Earlier this year Usher was also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery along with Ricky and Harold Valencia and bank manager Samantha Carlos. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

One person has been detained for questioning.