Daylight murder in city appears drug related
A quarrel over drugs or other illegal activity appears to be the motive behind the nation’s latest violent homicide. The shooting today in Belize City took place in broad daylight…and News 5’s Patrick Jones reports from the scene.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The early afternoon murder has left the Riverside Community in shock, trying to figure what triggered the incident, which has left five children without their father.
Neighbours say forty-three year old Dean Belisle also known as “Magic” was in his yard here at the end of Lavender Street when he was shot and killed. Relatives say they observed several gunshot wounds on his body, including one to his head.
Two men in a small red car reportedly visited Belisle at his home and that was the last time he was seen alive.
G Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
“One of the gentlemen apparently got in an argument with the deceased, at which point shots were heard being fired. The deceased was shot several times, one to the neck, couple times to the body. As a consequence he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.”
Belisle’s common-law wife, Bernadine Stevens, says she believes the broad daylight murder may have been the result of a business transaction gone wrong.
Bernadine Stevens, Common-Law-Wife
“To my knowledge, weh I hear is that the man mi the come home an thing, like he expect somebody the follow him and thing you know. Wah red car rather, reach inna the yard and thing and them gat lee argument. I noh really see or nothing, but you know people deh round and thing. So, they get into the argument and a thing ova some counterfeit money or whatever gone on, I noh know who do it, but dah then the argument start and then after that them just tek the man life.”
Sources tell News 5 that the alleged gunman wore dreadlocks, but the police are being tight-lipped about their investigation, saying only that they hope to apprehend a suspect for questioning shortly.
G. Michael Reid
“At this point I am not at liberty to make any kind of comment on that part. An investigation is underway and hopefully we will soon find out exactly what occurred. I do know that the police is at this point looking for one suspect.”
Patrick Jones
“Who is that person?”
G. Michael Reid
“I am not at liberty to divulge his name.”
Patrick Jones
“Who would have wanted to hurt your common law husband?”
Bernadine Stevens
“Really, I think he deal with some boys from off of George Street. I know the man deh inna a lee business and thing weh he di do. So I think dah off of that, maybe he gone buy whatever he the sell and thing and maybe the money nevah right and the man they come back, come for it, come for the correct money or whatever.”
The police say that preliminary information leads them to believe that Belisle knew the shooter.
G. Michael Reid
“We believe he did know the person. We believe that the person has visited Mr. Belisle on a couple of occasions, so certainly we have a couple of leads we are following up on.”
Patrick Jones
“Were they business associates?”
G. Michael Reid
“I am not at this point able to ascertain that.”
Patrick Jones
“Do I take it then that the police know exactly who they are looking for?”
G. Michael Reid
“No you can’t take that. I am saying that we are investigating and we have a suspect that we are looking for, for questioning at this point.”
Patrick Jones, for News 5.
Family members say a number of personal items including Belisle’s wallet are missing and may have been taken in the incident. Dean Belisle leaves behind five children.
