Manager of Bannister Caye murdered during robbery

Early this morning, police were called to Bannister Caye resort, located nine miles away from Belize City where the manager of the resort had been killed. Jose Sanchez took a twenty minute boat ride to the resort and has the following story.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Bannister Island Resort is a private island with over three acres and has five hundred feet of white sandy beach that has been providing the Caribbean experience for many cruise ship tourists who don’t come on the mainland. But a tragedy which occurred Thursday night has temporarily dispelled its image of paradise. The manager of the resort, forty-three year old Kelvin Wade was murdered under the cover of darkness. The investigative team, led by Sinquest Martinez, arrived on the scene early this morning.

Insp. Sinquest Martinez, Lead Investigator
“Upon visiting Bannister Caye resort. We received the call about six this morning about a murder that happened out there. When we got out there we saw the lifeless body of Kelvin Wade with a gunshot wound.”

Jose Sanchez
“Where was this shot?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“He was shot in his back.”

Jose Sanchez
“Do you have any idea of when this occurred?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“It happened some time during the course of the night.”

Jose Sanchez
“Have you found a motive so far?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“The motive for the murder was robbery because an undisclosed amount of money went missing.”

Jose Sanchez
“There weren’t a lot of tourists reported to be out there yesterday. Have you explored the possibility that it might have been an inside job?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Well, we are looking at that angle likewise.”

Jose Sanchez
“Any suspects?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Not as yet but we have gotten some information since we got back on land that we’re working on.”

Jose Sanchez
“How many people were on the island yesterday after hours?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“There were sixty-seven persons on the island.”

Jose Sanchez
“They all head the gunshot?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“Yes, we have spoken to them. We have recorded statements from them.”

Jose Sanchez
“Did they hear a boat coming, did they know how the person came?”

Insp. Sinquest Martinez
“I don’t want to go much in depth into that.”

Jean Wade, Mother of Kelvin Wade
“Anyone who knew Kelvin will remember him as a very friendly, very outgoing, very helpful person. He could do anything he could to help someone else in need. And even the people who have worked with him have said that he is a very fair-minded; very, very fair-minded with them. That’s all I have to say.”

Jose Sanchez
“What have you learned from the people on the island? What have they told you?”

Jean Wade
“I haven’t spoken to anybody on the island from the other night.”

Jose Sanchez
“So nobody has said what happened to him, how he died?”

Jean Wade
“Well, police showed us a statement they have and that makes us feel like there is something fishy going on here.”

Investigations by police will continue. It is hard not to note that the island is also a very short distance away from Brown’s Caye. Brown’s Caye is the island where two young lover’s Earl Crawford and Myrtle Gill disappeared leaving only tell tale signs of a gruesome crime. While that tragedy was realized days after it occurred, Wade’s murder occurred while other employees were present on the island. By ten a.m., Wade’s body was removed from the scene. The island has been on lockdown since this morning and only workers and the investigative team were granted access to the facilities. Knowledge of the murder did not reach everyone in the tourism industry and tourists eager to enjoy the idyllic day in the sun under were turned back. The image of paradise lost was blatant as the sea rocked the shores and the beach chairs sat empty. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

Kelvin Wade is originally from San Ignacio and has worked with various organizations, including Le Patriarch, now known as Dianova, an organization that helped to rehabilitate drug users.