Elderly Man Found Dead Inside His House

As Chinchilla fights for her life at the K.H.M.H., a man was found dead inside his house on Rivero Street in Belize City.  A caretaker found Bernard Gillett lifeless, slumped on his bed. Police do not suspect foul play since Gillett had a pre- existing condition which may have caused his demise. Here is Duane Moody with a report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

On Sunday morning, the body of an elderly man was discovered inside the lower flat of a two-storey concrete structure on Rivero Street. Bernard Gillett, believed to be in his early sixties, was found slouched over his bed; he was in underwear and there was blood on the sheet.  Initially, it was believed that Gillett had been killed.

Albert Robinson

Albert Robinson, Neighbour to Deceased

“Around two o’clock in the morning, I heard like a scream, but I didn’t take it like anything serious because I said this is curfew time and nobody supposed to be on the street.  Later on in the morning, the young lady that goes to take care of Mister Gillett’s uncle saw like a lot of things thrown over the place and she decided to make an alarm to let Mister Charles who is always around and taking care as a caretaker for many years. So Charles was asked to go in there and see what’s happening. I went along with him and observed that Barney—we know him as Barney—Barney’s body was slumped over the bed; it wasn’t in the bed. In his boxer shorts and I saw his head on the bed, mattress or where the sheet was and I saw a spot of blood.”

Today, all police would say is that Gillett died from natural causes.

Hilberto Romero

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“That dah mi wah natural death. I noh wah comment on that.”

Andrea Polanco

“Sir so there is no truth about his personal belongings missing?”

Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero

“No.”

Robinson says that the family and neighbours have been told by police that there were no signs of injury on the body and that foul play had been ruled out. It is known that Gillett is hypertensive.

Albert Robinson

“I start to learn afterwards that it was because of the heavy drink that he was doing; he drinks most of the time and he has a hearing problem. So they start to explain that because of that probably his pressure went up and ih burst the eardrum and that bit of blood exhausted out there. To the knowledge of the policemen, they do not suspect foul play.”

But was Gillett robbed? There are reports to suggest that his wallet as well as a laptop were stolen.

Albert Robinson

“A couple of things were missing from downstairs including his wallet and laptop and something else. In the front of the building, from the two louvers that were removed, it would be that somebody small that had gone through that window and did that theft.”

Duane Moody for News Five.