Man shot to death, family blames cousin
It could be used as a case study in the culture of violence, a way of life that is as familiar to some Belizeans as it is totally alien to others. But however commonplace tragedy has become in some parts of Belize, death is invariably greeted by grief. Ann-Marie Williams reports on how things got wildly out of hand this weekend in one Belize City neighbourhood.
Ann-Maire Williams
“This is where twenty-two year old Rodney Neal lived for four years and this is where he died tragically on Sunday. An assailant pushed the door and pumped four bullets into his body.
According to Beverley Neal, Rodney’s sister, the fatal wounds her brother received to the temple, back of the head, back and thigh were the end result of a fight he had with one Cherrymae Bowers, his next door neighbour and first cousin.
Bowers we a witness in a murder case in which Rodney’s brother, Sydney Neal, was a defendant. Rodney claimed that Bowers lied on the stand. Bowers told the court that Sydney told her he stabbed Edward Figueroa on July fourth of 1999.
Beverley Neal, Sister of Deceased
“After the case done, the jury brought him in on manslaughter charges. Cherrymae came behind here and told everyone that she could have made my brother (Sydney) get more time because she could have told the court where the knife is. She only made them give him a little time and like she’s boasting.”
Beverley said it’s because of her boasting and lying that the situation got ugly.
Beverley Neal
“My brother beat her up in the face because of what she did, so Police was looking for my brother. My brother said he’s hiding out because she went and told the police that he has machine gun, which was a total lie, and how he thief the machine gun from the army and she had the police like crazy back here, night and day. Just to make the police be on my brother’s case. My brother was all about hiding. “Cowboy” came like he big and bad and shooting after my brother.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Who is “Cowboy”?”
Beveryley Neal
“Cowboy,” is a policeman. He came shooting after my brother and having him running all around.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“When did this happen?”
Beveryley Neal
“This took place Saturday night. He was afraid, he said “Bev, Ma, everybody, I’ll give in myself. I’ll give in myself Monday morning, so they can’t have me long at the station.”
But Monday was a little too late, as Rodney Neal was shot on Sunday morning shortly after 9:00. This time Cherrymae wasn’t acting alone.
Beveryley Neal
“The Sunday morning Cherrymae’s boyfriend actually went out to the Chiney man (Chinese grocery) and told my brother “You name Rodney? You wah dead.”
“They came, she and the boyfriend and I was standing here and the boy asked me why I was looking at him. I didn’t say anything because he hands like this and I…”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Did you see what was in his hands?”
Beverley Neal
“I don’t know what was in his pocket, but I saw when he and Cherrymae ran to the back and I yelled for my little brother and all I heard was him firing four shots. He came out back with the gun he put it pants front and he and Cherrymae rode off.(crying) I ran to the house and he was on the ground with the iron and his clothes to hurry and come out of the house. I don’t know why she didn’t stop this because I begged the police woman to please stop this from happening.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“So you heard the shots and you…”
Beverley Neal
“I ran to the back and when I did, he was just passing me with the gun and pushing it in his pants.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Where your brother at this time?”
Beverley Neal
“Lying on the floor with an iron in his hand and blood coming through his mouth and nose. I begged the police to please stop it. I asked this policewoman Michelle to please hold my brother and hold the boy so that this thing would stop and nobody will kill each other, so that this boy does not kill my brother. I told the policewoman that he came back here with the gun in the kitbag and I was begging them.”
Michelle Williams
“I saw the shooter come in after “Burger”, who had his back turned to the door. The shooter came in and fired five shots. He fired three first, and closed the door behind him and fired the next two. He ran through this alley here with his girlfriend and they left. When I went in there, he was still alive, his hands were shaking and he was still bleeding on the ground. I was the first one in the room, but I couldn’t really tell if it was him on the ground because the room was very smoky with the gun powder. He was bleeding through his nose and mouth.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Could he have said anything?”
Michelle Williams
“No. I thought he wanted to, but apparently the way the bullet hit him he couldn’t even talk.”
One woman who was almost speechless was his mother Norma James, who got the tragic news when she stepped off the bus after a day of shopping in Melchor.
Norma James, Mother of Deceased
“When I came to my next son I asked if it was true that “Burger” died and he said yes. I asked who shot him and he said Cherrymae’s boyfriend. I asked for what and he said he did not know. I asked how he shot him and he said in the house.(crying) So I told him that he meant to do it because he said he would. My son slept here Saturday night and talked to me saying that Cherrymae’s brother came and said, “You’re a dead duck tonight.” He was with another boy, from West Street.”
“This could have been avoided because we told them that this boy went all the way to his house and told him he was a dead duck. He told me that. I asked him not to make me cry and stay. He said he wasn’t going to run from anybody and that he’s going home to sleep. I told him to sleep at the barracks, but he said no, that he was going to sleep right back here. So he slept at the barracks the night, but the day they said that he came and looked for me, and told him I went to Melchor. I was taking him with me to Melchor, telling him he’s safer with me.”
An expression young Rodney Neal, father of a two month old baby girl did not believe. Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.
One man has been detained for questioning in the murder. As for the court case which triggered the killing, Sydney Neal was today sentenced by Justice George Meerabux to twenty years in prison for manslaughter in the 1999 stabbing death of Edward Figueroa. As hinted in the story, Neal’s family claims that the conviction was based on tainted evidence.
