Mechanic murdered over mangoes

There have been scores of murders in recent years that can only be described as senseless…that is, the motive for the crime lacked even the minimal provocation of jealousy, revenge or greed. But the killing which occurred this morning in Belize City must be classified as wanton by any standard. It all started over some misappropriated mangoes.

Residents of Yarborough remain in shock over the killing of Lincoln Weston in front of his house. The 50-year old mechanic and refrigerator repairman was working on a vehicle when a young man pulled out a gun and fired the fatal shots.

Jacqueline Woods

Witnesses who did not wish to appear on camera told News Five that several minutes before the shooting, Weston had chased two young boys from his backyard after they stole mangoes from that tree which is inside a neighbour’s yard. One witness told us that first the boys confronted Weston with a stick but then threatened him saying, “Don’t worry when we come back we will kill you”

Following the altercation, Weston went out in the street, just in front of his house, to finish work on a car. While he was under the vehicle, the owner of the car, a friend and another mechanic came around to visit him. The friend, who did not wish to appear on camera, said he recalled seeing three young guys standing about 35 to 40 away from them but because he was not told of the earlier incident, he did not think anything of it. However, the witness says that shortly after the mechanic was about to hand Weston a filter he heard shots ring out.

Witness

“He said give me the filter cause he was already under. All of a sudden we hear a gunshot go off and I saw the guy pump again so with that I decided that if he shoot again I would take cover but this time he took to the river side right. He took up Albert Street West and I don’t know far he went.”

The witness said he saw the young man with a sawed off shot gun and believes the boys came prepared as he did not hear the gun crank only the shot gun blast. The witness said they were all shaken up and did not realize that Weston was hit until the mechanic tried to hand Weston the filter.

Witness

“So while Rupert say hold here and when he peeped under the vehicle he said boy Lincoln get shot and we saw that he was bleeding somewhere here by his side and also some bullets in his neck so we rushed him to the hospital. Upon our arrival they told me that the man died.”

Neighbours say Weston was a humble man who was always willing to extend a helping hand.

Mario Vernon, Head of CIB, says that they have the killer in custody. He is believed to be a 16-year old. Three others have also been detained. Charges are expected to be filed sometime soon.