Two Teenagers Charged for Brutal Murder of Belize City Businessman

Keon Dennison

Tonight, two teenagers age eighteen and nineteen years old, are behind bars for the murder of businessman, Rueben Perez that occurred on November twenty-sixth at his business on Vernon Street in Belize City. The two suspects were detained since Friday and their arraignment took place this morning.  They are Tyrone Reid, of Cohune Street, Belmopan and Keon Dennison, of Dangriga. The duo was identified on surveillance camera when they rode their bicycles onto Perez’s premises and parked their bicycles on the side of his building. Perez approached the duo and one of them fired a single shot hitting him in the neck area.  He was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival. The footage also shows both men fleeing the premises, one returns to pick up something, and then flees the scene.   Police believe the motive for Perez’s murder was robbery as his cell phone was allegedly stolen, but cash was not. In courtroom of Magistrate Deborah Rogers, the suspects were charged jointly with murder but not robbery. During the arraignment, both teenagers asked permission to speak claiming they were beaten badly by officers who were drinking on the job. Dennison lifted up his shirt and showed the magistrate injuries he claims were sustained during the beating. Magistrate Rogers explained that they will need to make reports to Internal Affairs regarding their alleged beating.  They both are on remand at the Belize Central Prison until January twenty-ninth, 2016.

Tyrone Reid