Dangriga Man Executed in Belize City

Nelson “Ricky” Miguel

Turning to crime, there was another murder in the Old capital on Monday night; it occurred on the heels of two other killings over the weekend. Dangriga resident, Nelson “Ricky” Miguel, had moved to Belize City since the start of the COVID 19 pandemic in March. He was inside a car on Faber Road Extension when a hail of bullets was unleashed on him. Along with Miguel, was Talia Westby; she too was injured in the shooting. The investigations have led to the apprehension of one suspect.  So far police believe that Miguel was killed due to a jealousy. Here is Hipolito Novelo with a report.

Hipolito Novelo reporting

Belize City police are investigating yet another murder. This time the victim is twenty-six-year-old Nelson “Ricky” Miguel, a resident of Dangriga Town. He was fatally shot on Monday night while inside a car on Faber’s Road Extension in Belize City.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

Chester Williams

“Two persons were in a vehicle and a lone gunman came and fired multiple shots inside the vehicle.”

Miguel was inside a green Ford Escort car with thirty-five-year-old Thalia Westby who lives nearby. They were sitting in the car when they were approached by a man known as “Boots” who produced a firearm and released a barrage of bullets.

Chester Williams

“The shots made their target on a female who was shot in the leg and a male person who was shot multiple times to the body. Both were rushed to the hospital where the male person succumbed couple hours later while undergoing treatment. The female at this time is a stable condition at the hospital.”

Miguel was clearly the gunman’s target. So what’s motive? Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says it is a “man issue”. Williams says that the shooter is a relative of Westby and is detained.

Chester Williams

“From what we have gathered is that this incident may have to do with some man, it is a man issue. The suspect in question is in police custody. He is a relative of the victim who was shot. So he was caught by the police during an operation this morning. I believe that the police should be able to gather enough evidence to law charges against him for murder and attempted murder.”

Originally from Dangriga, Miguel is believed to have moved to the city before the COVID-19 pandemic when he got an offer to work in construction. His sister Nadia Garcia says that they have no idea why anyone would want him dead.

On the Phone, Nadia Garcia, Sister of Deceased

“We heard about his death via social media. I could speak about him here in Dangriga. I don’t know anything about his life in Belize City. He has never gotten in any altercation here in Dangriga that we know of. He is a dancer, he likes to go on the stage and dance. Every evening he will go play basketball, come home sit on the steps, run jokes with me and my children as a family. So when we heard about his death last night via social media we were shocked. We haven’t spoken with him for a while now. The last time he left, it was in March he left from here, from this family home in Dangriga. He told my son, his nephew stay here, I am going to Belize.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.