Retired educator butchered during grisly home invasion in Hopkins

Josephine Augustine

Hopkins Village in southern Belize is a peaceful, picturesque seafront community, a thriving but laidback tourism destination. But the community has been devastated by a seemingly senseless and brutal home invasion on Monday evening, just before dark. Dangriga teacher Josephine Augustine and her husband, retired teacher Dudley Augustine, were at home when they were attacked. The elderly man was beaten and left for dead, while his wife was viciously butchered to death right in front of him. The couple was well known and much loved in the community and in the south, and today Police are investigating all leads to get to the bottom of the tragedy. Our News Five team was in Hopkins today and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Hopkins is known for its informal, laidback atmosphere – popular for its beautiful beaches and unrestricted access to the Caribbean Sea. But the peace and tranquillity of the quaint community was destroyed on Monday evening when violence was visited on their own. Seventy-one year old retired teacher Dudley ‘Dudz’ Augustine and his wife Josephine reside in Dangriga, but spend every weekend in their home in Hopkins. They were here for the summer, and planned to return to Dangriga this morning. But death came unexpectedly before they could do so.

Supt. Ralph Moody, Southern Zone Commander

Supt. Ralph Moody

“Between five thirty and six pm Police responded to Hopkins Village where we saw the lifeless body of a female lying in a pool of blood, upstairs of a two storey building. Investigations revealed that the young lady suffered from two stab wounds to the back of her neck. On arrival at the scene we also received information that a male person who was later identified as Dudley Augustine, seventy-one years of age and a retired teacher, also suffered from some bruises to his forehead. He was rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital and was later transported to the KHMH.”

Concerned neighbours responded to the scene before Police. They were drawn there by the sound of Dudley Augustine screaming for help.

Voice of: Chelsea Castillo, Neighbour

“My sister and mi niece come and tell me that the old man deh bawl fu help inna di house so I run and I come fu check weh happen, but I neva mi wah jump di fence so one of mi cousin come and I tell a come check weh happen and e jump di fence fu see weh happen. Well he tell me the people deh een deh…the man deh een deh with e head buss, so I just jump di fence afta a and I see di man right een deh. But I neva see the lady. When I turn

Dudley Augustine

round I bawl and I halla e wife. Some people mi deh een deh and they neva see di lady. I just bawl and I neva know weh fu do. I just bawl. I just noh know.”

Forty-seven year old Josephine Augustine was found lying behind the counter in the kitchen. Apart from the stab wounds to the neck, her face was swollen, likely when she tried to fight off the attackers. Dudley Augustine was found just inside the door.

Voice of: Chelsea Castillo

“He mi alive but back a he head buss. I neva know which part di blood come from cause all a he face got blood.”

Reporter

“And the lady? What condition was she in?”

Voice of: Chelsea Castillo

“Well like whole a she face bloody. I neva know which part di blood come from cause she head mi deh face down and wah young bwoy turn a round and di whole a she face got lone blood…dead.”

Neighbours say they didn’t hear any commotion prior to the grisly discovery, and when they jumped the fence to check on the couple the front gate was closed. The couple’s dark green Isuzu Trooper, seen in this picture during happier times, was missing. The scene was processed by Police on Monday night, and again this morning.

Supt. Ralph Moody

“The scene was processed and her body was escorted to the Southern Regional Hospital for a post mortem. At this present moment we are conducting investigations and following all the leads that we have at this present moment.”

Reporter

“Sir could you tell us from the processing of the scene does it appear that the motive was robbery?”

Supt. Ralph Moody

“Well it appeared to be a robbery. The house was ransacked and it appears that somebody was searching inside the room, so we are treating it as a robbery.”

This morning the couple’s vehicle was found abandoned at mile twenty-eight on the Hummingbird Highway, and has been towed to the Dangriga Police Station for processing. Reporting for News Five, I am Mike Rudon.

News Five has been reliably informed that two men, previously employed constructing the fence at the Augustine home in Hopkins, have been detained for questioning.