Jose Guzman is Murdered; His Decomposed Body Found

Jose Guzman

Police are investigating the murder of Jose Guzman, whose decomposing body was discovered on Wednesday morning with a gunshot injury. But, News Five is being told that leads have been hard to come by because the twenty-five-year-old had a mental condition and was not a violent person. It’s been a difficult time for his family as they are perplexed by his killing. Duane Moody looked into it today. 

Duane Moody, Reporting

On Monday night, shots rang out in the Jane Usher Boulevard area of Belize City and police had responded, but could not find a crime scene. But then on Wednesday, there was a report made of a body near the Port of Belize and cops went back to the area.  After hours of search, around ten-thirty a.m. that day, they discovered the decomposing body of a man. His identity at the time was not known. This tattoo is what caught the attention of his relatives.

Carmita Leslie, Cousin of Deceased

“Gial you need fi come down and make we see go go see if this person dah Joey because this person have wah exact tattoo like Joey and I noh see Joey fi like two days now. She gone home and she see the picture and she call me and say Carm dah Joey. And I tell ahn I know cause I always tease Joey about that tattoo. I always tell ahn Joey dah who put ‘tata duende’ pan yo hand cause ih got wah lee ‘tata duende’ looking man thing with some bricks. She come and we gone through the procedures and thing and dehn tell we weh part fi mi gone and we identify ahn. I mi di pray and hope dah noh he when dehn open di bag, but dah mi he.”

Carmita Leslie says that the family grew worried when he didn’t show up for lunch two days in a row; he was last seen alive by them on Monday afternoon.

Carmita Leslie

“He usually comes here to eat every day. He came on Monday; Tuesday we noh see ahn, Wednesday we noh see ahn. And Wednesday I hear that dehn mi find wah body back ah Port [Loyola] and thing, but I neva mi di pay it no mind. So yesterday, I just during lunch time we had a busy time and I just click my Facebook thing on my phone and my phone gone straight pan the news thing weh say dehn di ask if anybody could come identify wah John Doe. I neva read nothing else, I just read that and when I scroll down I see the tattoo, I run outta di back kitchen and I tell my ma, this dah Joey. And my ma say what? I tell ahn, yes this dah Joey tattoo; this dah Joey.”

Joey, as he is affectionately known, had a mental health condition and was not a violent person, so the family is crushed by his killing. They’re asking why?

Carmita Leslie

Carmita Leslie

“We can’t understand. Who woulda want kill Joey? Like fi what because he was not even a violent person. Yo know everybody, all comments weh people di say about Joey…I have never seen Joey violent. Never. Ih had wah home. I just want everybody know ih had two homes. Ih had ih ma dah Ladyville and ih have one ah fi we aunty dah Roaring Creek weh part ih woulda go fi months. But dah just the mental illness cause ahn fi walk about and no want stay one place. But Joey mi love to walk about.”

Duane Moody

“So he had a mental condition?”

Carmita Leslie

“Yeah, he had a mental condition. He was not in his right senses.

the only thing I could say, dehn kill ahn outta pure idleness.”

Duane Moody

“We know that his body was found in the Port which is around the Jane Usher area. Is there a reason for him to be in that area?”

Carmita Leslie

“Ih have some family pan ih mother side weh live dah Port Loyola area; I know ih have some family. So maybe that’s why ih go awlk back deh cause lotta people message and tell me that dehn see ahn ina Yarborough area. I know ih have some family back that side. I noh sure exactly where, but he has family backa Yarborough so I guess that dah the reason why ih go take ih walk back deh. I wish if somebody know something if they woulda come forward and say something. But I doubt that will happen. So we are just waiting for the post-mortem and then we will lay him to rest.”

According to police, the body was discovered with at least one gunshot wound and they’re asking for the public’s assistance with information. Duane Moody for News Five.