Hattieville security guard shot multiple times

On Sunday night, the fourth murder for the weekend was recorded. Oren Humes was executed near the Burrell Boom/Hattieville junction. It was a most brutal murder in which Humes, a security officer at the CASHU Medical Clinic, was hit by a volley of bullets while he drove his vehicle. As his family grapples with Humes’ murder they believe multiple shooters unleashed more than a dozen shots at Humes. Duane Moody reports.

Voice of: Sister of Murder Victim

“We will remember our brother as the sweetest person, the kindest, a big smile—always he give jokes. He was like the clown of the family.”

Duane Moody, Reporting

That’s the lasting memory that is now left with the family of thirty-two year old Oren Humes following his murder after nine on Sunday night. Humes had just dropped off a friend in the Gentle Ville Area on the Boom-Hattieville Road when a barrage of bullets—believe to have been shot from multiple shooters—was fired on him.

Voice of: Sister

“Last night his girlfriend called us and told us that he was just killed. And so we came down all the way because we live up the road at Mile fifteen. We rushed to our brother’s side, but he was already gone.”

Up to seventeen bullets made their mark on Humes, says his sister. But it appears that Humes, a security guard at the medical clinic near the Burrell Boom junction, in trying to evade his killer sped off, but slammed into a nearby tree. Today police were again processing the scene where several expended shells were recovered. But what is the motive for the killing?

Voice of: Sister

“I’m not sure. I really am not sure of the reason, but it is just really sad. It hurts more than anything else because we just lost our father like two-three years ago. He will be missed greatly.  Ih have four kids weh ih mi love dearly; especially ih one and only daughter weh mi like eight months. And now it will be so sad that she will grow up and noh know ih pa. He was just the best to our family.”

For the first time there are four murders in forty-eight hours in rural Belize—a phenomenon that newly instated Rural Executive Officer, Assistant Superintendent, Christopher Noble, says needs to be addressed.

ASP Christopher Noble, Rural Executive Officer

“What we are looking at is a new phenomenon. The incidents in the city; we’ve been implementing in the city and to some extent possibly that is an outflow of that into this area. These are the nearest areas to the city. But we are looking into strategies. I have been in communication with persons in the hierarchy of the department and we are looking at how best we can strategize. That will be definitely done because the rural has got to be something we can police properly.”

According to Noble, persons of interests in all cases are being sought and if anyone has any information that can assist with solving these crimes, they are ask to contact the nearest police station or Crime Stoppers Belize at 0-800-922-TIPS. Duane Moody for News Five.