Camalote Duo Arraigned for Execution-style Murder of Teen

Damien Bowden & Justin Banner

A pair of Camalote men have been arrested and charged for the execution-style murder of sixteen-year-old Ivan Choc who was mercilessly shot and killed inside his home on November thirteenth in the village.  Earlier today, twenty-year-old Damien Bowden of Young Bank area and eighteen-year-old Justin Banner were arraigned for the crime of murder in the Belmopan Magistrate Court.  The teenager was mortally wounded when the suspects stormed his house and fired upon him at point-blank range in front of his family, despite his pleas for mercy. The minor was first shot to the hand, climbed under the table and begged once again for his life. But the gunman took the pump action shotgun and fired at Choc’s head, killing him instantly.  In the wake of the homicide, the suspects went into hiding.  Diligent police work later led to their arrests.  This morning, News Five spoke with Superintendent Howell Gillett of the Belmopan Police Formation.

Supt. Howell Gillett, Officer Commanding, Belmopan Police

“Mister Ivan Choc lost his life due to violence on the thirteenth of November, if my memory serves me right.  But this weekend that just passed we were able to arrest two persons for his death and charged them with murder.  They will be arraigned today in our Magistrate’s Court here in Belmopan.  Those persons are Damien Donovan Velasquez Bowden and Justin Giovanni Banner, both of the Camalote area here in the Cayo District.  So we’re happy to have been able to make an arrest so quickly and I would ascribe it to being quick at responding to the crime scene and also the follow-up work that was done and most importantly the good community relationship that we now enjoy.  There are a few, we’re trying to keep violence at its minimal, especially as it relates to the Roaring Creek Camalote area.  And there are a few more players who are still out but as we go by our investigations continue, we will be able to take these people off the street and have them where they rightfully belong.”

Howell Gillett

Mike Rudon

“Well I was going to ask you, these two persons who are going to be charged are they considered players in this ongoing violence in Roaring Creek?”

Supt. Howell Gillett

“We consider them to be persons of interest and rightly so.  They have been monitored for a period of time and the issue that we find a bit complex at times has to do with witnesses coming forward and giving information formally, meaning through a statement or so.”