Attempted Murder Trial against Former Coast Guard Officer Continues

Keyren Tzib

The trial for attempted murder against former Coast Guard Officer Keyren Tzib is coming to an end with both defense and crown opening and closing their case. Tzib stands accused of trying to kill her former Coast Guard colleague, thirty-seven-year-old Kurt Hyde in April 2015. Allegations are that at the end of a joint maritime operation, Tzib took an M4 Carbine rifle and fired it in Hyde’s direction, hitting him once in the head.  On January twenty-sixth, Tzib chose to give a dock statement in her defense. In her statement, Tzib explained to the court that she had no intention of harming Hyde. She stated that the gun had gone off accidentally because she stood up and the waves were rocking the boat at the time. She further noted that she had little experience with handling a firearm and that she is very sorry that it happened. In her defense, her attorney, Darrel Bradley, called two witnesses, Psychiatric Nurse, Ingrid Bennett and Clinical Psychologist Crystal Humes.  Nurse Bennett informed the court that she treated Tzib between 2011 and 2019. She stated that in 2011, Tzib had an anxiety and depression disorder for which she was receiving treatment. Nurse Bennett further explained that only days before the incident, Tzib was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which may have derived from an allegation of rape.   According to Nurse Bennett, Tzib was on medication at the time of the incident. Humes told the court that she did a test on Tzib in October 2023 in which PTSD was identified as the most pronounced mental illness.   At the start of Tzib’s trial, the crown presented evidence in the form of statements coming from several witnesses that were on board the vessel at that time of the incident. Noel Lanza, a BDF soldier, stated that he saw Tzib stood up, took aim and fired a shot. Delon Castro, a boat captain for the Belize Port Authority, stated that he intervened by pushing down the gun after Tzib had fired the shot. Tyrone Young, a Coast Guard officer who has since passed away, said in his statement that Tzib pointed the gun towards the front of the boat then he heard a loud bang.