Southside shooting claims another life

The month’s fourth murder occurred this morning, the third to take place on the south side of Belize City. News 5’s Patrick Jones reports from the scene.

Patrick Jones, Reporting
The mid morning violence stunned the Ebony Street neighbourhood as thirty-six year old mechanic Lloyd Bodden was gunned down in front of his residence. Head of the Belize City Crimes Investigations Branch Superintendent Chester Williams says initial reports indicate that Bodden was shot by a man who was in the company of other, and that the shooting was the result of a long longstanding dispute.

Supt. Chester Williams B O.I.C., Crimes Investigations Branch
?Well I believe the way it happened that somewhat they must have been in the area watching him for quite a period of time, and they waited for the opportunity for him to have been alone and they took advantage of that.?

Patrick Jones
?What kind of a gun was used to kill him??

Supt. Chester Williams
?At this point in time we cannot say exactly what type of weapon was used because no expended shell was found on the scene. So that leads us to believe that he was murdered with some sort of revolver type firearm, which normally keeps the expended shell within.?

Bodden?s common law wife Josephine Logan, says she was with the victim just moments before he was shot to death.

Josephine Logan, Common Law Wife
?Lloyd was outside fixing a vehicle, because he is a mechanic. Roger Anthony and this guy, two other else guys were out there. They were talking, so I told him those guys they are at the corner be careful. Watch yourself. Then he told me, don?t worry I can take care of myself. So I still stand up there with him, because I don?t leave him outside there by himself because he keeps getting threats from those guys saying they are going to kill him. I came inside to get a glass of water. By the time I finish the water and set down the thing, I heard gunshots. So I thought he shot somebody. But when I went outside I saw a guy just aim and fire shot after him while he was lying down in the drain over there, kneel down with his stomach on top of the sidewalk.?

Police and the family believe that someone witnessed the broad daylight slaying and are appealing to the public for assistance in capturing the gunman.

Josephine Logan
?Please come forward because he is not the type of person that trouble people. He was a quiet person. He does his work, from work he is by himself or he goes and plays dominoes. He doesn?t mess with nobody. So this is senseless. It wasn?t called for.?

Supt. Chester Williams
?Well I believe that we are very close to solving this recent murder. I must say that we have been getting good cooperation from the public. And with their assistance I am sure that the matter will be solved very soon.?

Patrick Jones
?Now you said that Mr. Bodden had a licensed weapon, did he get to draw that weapon??

Supt. Chester Williams
?No, he did not because the weapon was found inside his pants pockets. So it clearly shows that he had no opportunity to have taken out the weapon to use it.?

Williams believes that Bodden was surprised by his attacker as he worked on a car parked in front of his house. The grieving family say all they want is justice for their slain loved one.

Josephine Logan
?There was no fight. He had a court date with this guy Roger Anthony yesterday and they adjourned the case for next month. But this case is adjourning. I think this is the fourth time it?s adjourned. They keep adjourning the case because Roger Anthony had stabbed him in his back before.?

Patrick Jones, for News 5.

Police have detained one person whom they believe is the gunman and are expected to bring a murder charge against him on Friday morning.