Jason Gillett Is Latest Murder Victim On Ambergris Caye
Jason Gillett
Our news crew was back on the island of Ambergris Caye today, following another fatal shooting in the San Mateo area of San Pedro Town. Around six-thirty on Wednesday night, a well-known drug peddler was executed a short distance from where he lived. But, was thirty-year-old Jason Gillett murdered in a drug war on the island or was he a victim of his past indiscretions? News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Just before news time on Wednesday night shots rang out yet again on Ambergris Caye and another man was killed. But it wasn’t the police that mortally wounded thirty-year-old Jason Gillett; in fact, when they were called out to the San Mateo area, in front of the Iglesia De Cristo/Church of Christ building they would find the lifeless body of Gillett. He had been shot multiple times to the chest and the head.
Supt. Sandra Bowden, O.C., San Pedro Police
“Sometime between six-twenty and six-thirty last night, the police were called—they had received information of a shooting in the San Mateo area of San Pedro town. They visited the area where at the entrance of the San Mateo area, they saw the lifeless body of Jason Gillett, thirty years, lying in the middle of the street. He had received several gunshot wounds and he was apparently dead.”
According to his family, who chose not to give an interview, Gillett had just left his house four blocks away to purchase food when his life was callously taken. Ironically, he hung out at a house adjacent to where he was murdered. But police say they have no motive at this time.
Sandra Bowden
Supt. Sandra Bowden
“So far, we are checking into information that we have; we cannot say what is the motive at this time and we have no viable leads at this time. We are just checking into information that we have received.”
Gillett is no stranger to the law. Officer in Command on the island, Superintendent Sandra Bowden, says that he is a known drug peddler in the area. But did his past creep up on him? According to the family, he recently complained about two to three weeks ago that his life had been threatened.
Supt. Sandra Bowden
“Mister Gillett had recently received a conviction in the San Pedro Magistrates’ Court for two different charges of drug possession so we know, yes that he was involved with drugs.”
Duane Moody
“Is this one of the leads that you guys are looking at or the tips that you guys are looking at in terms of what could have led to his murder?”
Supt. Sandra Bowden
“Well the investigation is fairly young and we wouldn’t want to jeopardize the investigation so at this point we are unable to disclose that information.”
Duane Moody
“I think last year, he was pending charges for aggravated assault and attempted murder, but he was still out. So does it mean that the person did not press charges or he didn’t get convicted for that?”
Supt. Sandra Bowden
“Well I would have to double check our records, but I know yes that he was before the courts for aggravated assault charges. I am unable to say; I would have to verify what’s the outcome of the case—if they are still pending or if the charges were dismissed against him or dropped.”
Police are currently seeking surveillance footage from the area that they believe recorded the murder.
Supt. Sandra Bowden
“We did recover some expended shells and we recovered one live round. The postmortem is scheduled for this afternoon and it should be able to tell us more.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
