Therese Blake murdered, motive unclear

It was not your typical Belizean murder. Those usually involve gang bangers whacking each other over drugs or territorial disputes, drunken machete men fighting over women or an occasional Chinese grocer killed in a robbery attempt. Today’s tragic death occurred in broad daylight in a wealthy section of the Newtown Barracks once reserved for the colonial elite. News Five’s Ann-Marie Williams was on the scene.

Ann-Marie Williams

“A Belize City woman was shot to death this afternoon around 1:00. Unconfirmed reports say that she picked up her child from school and upon her return to this home on Newtown Barracks, she was abducted by two men in a white convertible.”

Police are not saying much. They have identified the woman as forty-year old Therese Blake Ayuso of eleven A Newtown Barracks, Belize City. They also say they’re looking for two suspects.

Details are sketchy at this time, but witnesses who didn’t want to appear on camera said that Blake-Ayuso was abducted at gunpoint. As she reached home in her vehicle she was forced to drive it towards the BTL Park. There it lost control and crashed into a van in front of the Pickwick Club. The killers then left the vehicle and escaped in the nearby white convertible.

It is believed that she was shot once in the chest with a nine-millimetre pistol just after the collision. At this time there is no shortage of rumours as to who may be responsible for the death of the well-to-do daughter of legendary millionaire, the late Jim Blake. That story will come later, however, presumably when the killers are brought to justice. Ann-Marie Williams for News Five.

Police forensic specialists closely examined the vehicle for fingerprints and other evidence. They are asking anyone who can shed light on this crime to please come forward.