Nathan Underwood is Executed Inside His Bar in Gardenia

Nathan Underwood

The life of thirty-eight year old Nathan Underwood was also cut short. The Hattieville resident was at his bar, Nates Cool Spot, when he shot dead. The establishment is located in Gardenia, Belize District and Nathan was alone in the kitchen when he was executed. Police found eleven expended shells, but don’t have a suspect and are yet to determine the motive for the homicide. His family received the shocking news shortly after the murder. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Around ten-thirty p.m. on Friday shots rang out in the quiet village of Gardenia, a businessman had been killed after he was ambushed from behind inside his place of business. Thirty-eight year old Nathan Underwood was at Nates Cool Spot at mile twenty-one on the Phillip Goldson Highway when he was shot three times to the back.

Juanito Cocom

Insp. Juanito Cocom, O.C., Ladyville Police

“On the arrival, they observed the lifeless body of a dark complexion male person lying down on the floor of the kitchen with multiple shot wounds to the back. He was later identified as Nathan Underwood, thirty-eight years of a Hattieville address. Initial investigations reveal that he was alone in his kitchen when a lone gunman came from behind the building and fired several shots at him through the window causing the fatal injuries. The scene was visited, processed and eleven expended shells were recovered.”

His common-law wife and children reside in Hattieville and were expecting him at home on Sunday. They received the tragic news minutes later. According to his eldest daughter, Ardina, her parents were to get married in August.

Ardina Underwood

Ardina Underwood, Daughter of Deceased

“My aunt got a call and I heard her cry out. So I run into the room and when I went in there, she said it’s your dad. She said you need to go see yo ma right now. by the time I reach out to the police station, my mom already went to Gardenia—that’s where the shooting took place. So I wait out here and nobody told me anything until half an hour after, my uncle—he’s a pastor—he told me I know this will be hard, but your dad died. I was like what? Who killed my dad? What happened? And it was like he got shot four times and he died on the spot. I broke down and I started crying. It is really hard for me, but I am just trying to keep it strong for my mom and my two little brothers.”

But who would want to kill Nathan Underwood?

Insp. Juanito Cocom, O.C., Ladyville Police

“No motive has been established as yet. The detectives are on the ground as we speak continuing the investigation.”

Duane Moody

“Now is this area isolated?”

Insp. Juanito Cocom

“Yes it’s isolated on the highway. We have some leads that we are working on but we can’t divulge it because the investigation is very young.”

According to Ardina, the family will miss the fun memories with her father in the kitchen because he loved cooking.”

Ardina Underwood

“My memories with him is working in the kitchen with him; that’s most of my memories with him. And maybe when I go up there at his place, we would sit at the back of the yard, have a little fun. He cook, we eat, we talk, laugh. That’s most of it.”

Duane Moody for News Five.