Decomposing Body Discovered Off Philip Goldson Highway
Phozaun Lewis
The lifeless body of a man was discovered off the Phillip Goldson Highway this afternoon. Police have been unable to confirm the identity of the individual. But, the family of twenty-three-year-old Phozaun Lewis believes it is him. Lewis went missing on Tuesday, though the family did not make any official report of his disappearance according to police. Lewis made the news back in 2018 at the age of eighteen, when he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison for aggravated assault with a firearm. Tonight, police are working to put the pieces together. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Just before midday, police responded to reports of a vehicle parked off the Phillip Goldson Highway with the lifeless body of an individual inside. When police arrived on the scene just outside Maxboro Village they came across this heavily tinted four door car parked inside some bushes. They discovered the decomposed body of a male person behind the steering wheel.
Reymundo Reyes
Sr. Supt. Reymundo Reyes, Deputy Commander, Eastern Division
“At this present moment all we could say is that police get called based on information of this abandoned vehicle here on this feeder road and proceeded, and found out there was a male person, body appears to be at a decomposed stage that it is unrecognizable. At this moment we cannot say the identity of the individual or what really transpired, but it has been processed, the body has been moved to the laboratory where a postmortem examination is awaiting.”
The family of twenty-three-year-old Belize City resident, Phozaun Lewis, says he has been missing since Tuesday. They were gathered at the scene of this afternoon’s discovery, because they believe the decomposed body is his. They were seen grieving at the location. One relative was allowed to enter the cordoned area to assist in identifying the body. Information gathered is that Lewis was last seen inside with three other individuals inside the said vehicle, before going missing. His relatives believe that he was lured to his death.
Paul Lopez
“Would police have been able to identify any signs of injuries given the state of decomposition.”
Reymundo Reyes
“Not at this moment, so we would have to wait on the results of the postmortem.”
Reporter
“Are you able to say how long this individual had been missing?”
Reymundo Reyes
“No, there is no missing person report from our end at this moment in respect to that individual.”
Paul Lopez
“What has the processing of the scene revealed in terms of whether or not there were more than one individuals in the vehicle prior to.”
Reymundo Reyes
“At this present moment we cannot say whether this person had anyone else present in the vehicle. All we know is that we found a body sitting behind the steering wheel of the vehicle, apparently decomposed.”
Reporter
“Was the ignition on and the key inside?”
Reymundo Reyes
“The key was inside the ignition but the engine was not running.”
The decomposed body is now at the National Forensic Science Laboratory awaiting a post mortem. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
