Killing spree continues … 2 murders overnight
Much of our attention this week has focussed on the bloodshed that dominated the streets of Belize City. And tonight the story doesn’t get any better as during the last twenty-four hours, two more lives were claimed by violence. News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin reports on the latest killing to rock the old capital.
France Jones, Mother of murder victim
“I no know why they had to take his life. If he was out there killing people you could say they had reason you know, but from time I know my son. I raised him up. The only place I take my children was church. I raised them up to be respectful people. I always tell them if anyone attack you and you can get away without harming anyone, just try get away.”
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
That’s exactly what thirty-one year old Jerry Devon Jones try to do last night after he was shot at close range. Around seven forty-five witnesses say Jones was sitting in Mike’s Club watching television when a man walked up from behind and shot him in the back.
France Jones, Mother of Murder Victim
“A friend of his told me that he was inside the club. The two of them was sitting down, watching a Cubs game. Ih seh outta nowhere this young man just walk in and point the gun after him first, and then he seh when he point the gun after him then he turn roun and he shoot Jerry. I noh know fu what reason because he know the bwoi. He seh he sih him walking roun the place but he didn’t really know him to be a person like that, you know. So fih no reason he seh he just come deh and he shoot my son in his back and that was it.”
Jones ran outside onto the veranda and he fell over the railing. As he lay on the ground bleeding, his attacker stood over him and fired another shot which caught Jones in his leg. When police arrived at the scene, the victim was dead.
France Jones
“And they just take my baby’s like this, just like that. But I would just like to say to those that would just take an innocent life, God is up above. We don’t give life so why should we take it. And I would just like to say to that young man, the same thing he do to my baby, someone is going to do to him. His day will come, but I left him in God’s hand.”
Authorities say at this time they do not have a motive for the killing but that they are looking for a suspect described as a coolie looking man with a gold tooth. But three hours after police began their investigations on Regent Street West, another fatal shooting would take them to Mayflower Street.
This time the victim was twenty-eight year old Tyrone Diego Castillo. According to the Castillo family their loved one was in the area attending a wake being held for murder victim George “Junie Balls” Mckenzie. Around ten-thirty, Castillo left to buy food.
Candice Castillo, Sister of Murder victim
“He gone, gone pick up the chicken fih they eat and then by the time he ride in fu gone through ghost town, they just shot up afta ah.”
Castillo was shot once in the chest and three times in the back. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but died shortly after arriving at the emergency room.
Donna Castillo, Mother of Murder Victim
“He was here during the day. He was here, back and forth from here to the boulevard with his friends them. He tell his friends that he was going to the wake, and they told him not go and he insist. He seh dah his friend, so he gwen and go give he his respect to them.”
Candice Castillo, Sister of Murder Victim
“Ih da wah innocent person. I noh guess ih mih supposed to get shot but ih mih deh da the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Initial police investigations reveal that following the attack, the young shooter jumped into a black Suzuki Sidekick and sped away.
Candice Castillo
“And da he dah the only one weh mi deh da the lane at the time, so da only he one get it.”
Donna Castillo
“They say it wasn’t him, yo know, da neva him they wanted. It was somebody else, but by mistaken noh. I was in my bed already when I got the message. Yoh know, a guy came and tell me he was at the hospital and said that my son got shot and he’s dead. So he said he would take us to the hospital and I went and I saw my son lying there.”
Investigators say they consider Thursday night’s homicides isolated incidents and not gang related crimes. Jacqueline Godwin for News Five.
If you have any information that can assist police in solving both murders call the nearest police station or Crime Stoppers at 0 – 800 – 922 – 8477. Meanwhile Belize City police are investigating yet another shooting that occurred around five this evening. Fortunately no one lost their lives but it did result in a bystander being sent to the hospital.
According to authorities, fifty-five year old Gilbert Carr was walking in the vicinity of Pelican and Seagull Streets when he got caught in the cross fire of two shooters. Carr was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital with an injury to his right foot.
