Hattieville Mechanic Succumbs to Gunshot Injury

Carlton Belisle

A murder was recorded over the weekend when Hattieville mechanic Carlton Belisle Senior succumbed to gunshot injuries on Saturday afternoon. Today, a News Five team returned to the family home to speak with Abigail Garbutt, his common-law wife of thirty-three years about his death. Duane Moody files this report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Two days after he was shot, fifty-six-year-old Carlton Belisle Senior died at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. He had been shot at his residence on the night of June ninth, when he stepped outside to persons who called out for his son.

Voice of: Abigail Garbutt, Common-law wife of shooting victim

“When my son find ahn out there. My son bring him in on ih shoulder because ih mi di try back ahn up but ih couldn’t because dehn shot ahn ina ih foot and ih foot just deh like shot off, just the skin di hold it. So he had to put ahn pan ih shoulder so that it could be less pain. But he neva know that ih had a bullet in yah. The bullet lodge in yah and mess up ih inside.”

Belisle Senior had to undergo a surgery and, according to his common-law-wife Abigail Garbutt, he passed away around one p.m. on Saturday, before they could have gotten a CT scan done. Garbutt says she had a feeling that her husband had passed.

Voice of: Abigail Garbutt

“I was sitting here and communicating with my daughter. She say oh daddy dah only weh ih head swell now. The day before he wanted me to come and I tell ahn dah mawning I wah come. I sit down right yah and when I look, I see the sky get black, black, black and I tell ahn, “No Carlos, you can’t do that.” But dah like just the feeling weh come over me. He was my breadwinner. I sick for seven years and he take care of me with my kids. He do everything for me. He help me. He make sure that I eat to time, I drink to time. He was there. He dah wah good provider.”

According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Fitzroy Yearwood, one person has been detained in connection with this murder.

Fitzroy Yearwood

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communication Director, Belize Police Department

“We know that Belisle was at home when he heard someone shouting for his son. He went outside to see who it was and that is when a barrage of bullets was fired at him. He was transported to K.H.M.H. and succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment. We know that police have since detained someone and I will verify whether or not that person was charged for this murder.”

While one of her sons was detained as a form of preventative detention, Garbutt says that the family continues to grieve and simply wants justice for the murder of Belisle Senior, who was well-liked in the community.

Voice of: Abigail Garbutt

“We noh know dah who, so let it be. We wah left it to God because God answer all prayers fi everybody. Today is my day come knocking at my door; I have to accept it. He was a good person; he neva deserve it. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but he was ina ih yard. And persons come ina ih yard and do he that. Everybody have dehn day and God, I lef it ina your hand.”

Duane Moody for News Five.