Caye Caulker cop charged with on-duty murder of Alex Goff
alex goff
Since December of last year, five persons have been victims of police shootings. The most incident occurred on Sunday evening in Caye Caulker Village when thirty one year old Alex Goff was shot dead in the Police cell block. Last December, when Christopher Galvez was killed, a Corporal was fingered as one of the key stage players in the incident. In February, Jamaican, fifty-four year old O’Neil Jones was shot and killed as he rode away from a bar in Lord’s Bank, In March, PC Gavin Sanchez was shot nine times by Sergeant Paulino Reyes at the San Pedro Police Station. Then only three weeks ago Stephen Buckley was shot in the head during a police search by Inspector Dennis Lopez. But back to the most recent incident in Caye Caulker which has claimed the life of Alex Goff. Goff was briefly in Police Constable Alpheus Parham’s custody at the police station’s cell block on Sunday evening when he was killed. The officer disappeared momentarily, but was apprehended this morning and brought to Belize City. While Goff is no saint and has had numerous run-ins with the law, members of the Caye Caulker community are outraged at the police behavior. There are many questions that arise from Goff’s death and the constable is not saying much about what led to the shooting. News Five’s Marion Ali was on La Isla Carinosa today and files this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Police Constable 437, Alpheus Parham, is tonight detained pending charges following the shooting death of thirty-one year old Alex Goff, a handicap who had just moved to the island three months ago. The shooting happened around five-twenty on Sunday evening inside the Caye Caulker Police cell block. It followed Goff’s apprehension a few minutes earlier when the manager at the Lazy Lizard called police to remove an unruly Goff from his establishment. The businessman declined an on camera comment, but he did tell us that Goff had assaulted a tourist earlier and on Saturday, at the same location, he had had helped himself to money belonging to another tourist. It is an incident that Goff’s friends do not deny, but one of them says he found the money. In any case, they denounce the way his life was taken.
Dan Man, Friend of Alex Goff
dan man
“We were with a white bwai that was hanging out, we were showing him around and showing him the local attributes and he was buying us drinks and we were all swimming and drinking, meeting friends. That’s what we do.”
Marion Ali
“So at what point did things get sour and they had to call for the police?”
Dan Man
“I think it was a conflict between two bartenders and him, a verbal conflict, and they had blamed him for finding some money which some tourist lost on some day. I mean, weh deh pan ground dah fi dog. If I didn’t come and jack you then I have all right to keep whatever I find. One of the policemen was very aggressive and they were choking and hitting on him and saying “watch weh wah happen to yoh when we reach di station”. Now when they gone to the station we weren’t allowed to visit him and there were some youths that were on the basketball court beside the police station who said that they heard a bang. It was then that it was confirmed that he was killed in a sitting position.”
kareem bowen
Kareem Bowen, Friend of Alex Goff
“One ah fi we bally give we wah hundred dollars fi share and ting right. Dah wah hundred dollars so we share it twenty-five each and ting same way. So he just buy wah lee beer and thing. Den we roll from di Split cause he di cuss up and thing. I tell ah bwai stop go on so bredda and I tell he mek we roll from yah cause weh happen bally weh dehn call Chaplin, he di trip pan di man and thing. So I tell he mek we push off from yah and ting fi avoid problem den. Di man dehn just roll up pan we, rub we down, grab my lee bwai, handcuff ah to di golf cart and ker ah. I tell ah noh worry bout nothing, I wah come si yoh directly. And like boom, aftawards when I gone back dah di split and I tek wah next beer and like yeah I di come out and bam, di lady from di split tell me how ih hear dehn kill yoh bally and ting, di young bwai weh mi deh wid yoh. I tell ah kill my bally? So I run gone dah station and den I yer dehn kill my bally and thing last night.”
Gilbert Diaz, Adopted Father
gilbert diaz
“If you making noise and can’t control them throw some water and you cool them down okay. I don’t think it’s right to go in there and shoot the guy in his head; that’s crazy. Government needs to go in there and do something about it. I was a victim, I’ve been beat by police before, I’ve been locked down for disorderly conduct. You drink a beer, you get out of; they put you in a cell, let you relax and then send you home back.”
Marion Ali
“Do you think this is what happened to your friend Alex yesterday? He was under the influence and he needed some time to sober up?”
Gilbert Diaz
“Yeah, not because he was…”
Marion Ali
“But he was assaulting anybody?”
Gilbert Diaz
“He wasn’t aggressive because half of his body was paralysed. He got a big cut on his head and he can’t even talk too well.”
Dan Man also alleges that after his friend was killed he too was assaulted by one of the police officers. And while some islanders have expressed the need for authorities to crack down on trouble makers from Belize City, Dan Man says neither he nor his friend fall in that category.
Dan Man
“People from Belize City that come to Caye Caulker come for a better life because out here is paradise and we ourselves wouldn’t tolerate anyone that is making Caye Caulker look bad. We were waiting to see them remove the body. They didn’t move the body until one-thirty or so this morning when there was no one there but his immediate friends. And this police said don’t let me meet you here tomorrow. I said nobody have the right to take me off the island if I’m not causing any violence. He said don’t let me see you on the island. I said you can’t take me anywhere then when he was coming back he said I’m going to detain you. I said you can’t detain me and then he pushed me in the water off the pier. I quickly got out of the water because I didn’t know if he was going to follow me. But when I got out of the water, he attacked me again but he missed. He attempted to probably hit me to the ground or to punch me up or so right and I think that was uncalled for.”
Marion Ali
“Have you and this officer had a previous confict?”
Dan Man
“No previous conflict. I was just talking for my rights that police brutality is out of control.”
While the Officer in Charge, Sergeant Leslie Wade says Goff was acting disorderly at the Split and that he even assaulted a police officer, he added that police are not excluding that his killing could have been a murder.
Sgt. Leslie Wade, O.C., Caye Caulker Police Station
sgt. leslie wade
“They said Alex Goff was detained at the Caye Caulker police detention cell for the offences of disorderly conduct and assaulting a police officer.”
Marion Ali
“This assault of the police officer occurred when?”
Sgt. Leslie Wade
“That was prior sometime after five o’clock. As a result, they said Alex Goff was placed inside the cell block and shortly after six he was behaving in a quite disorderly manner and PC Alpheus Parham, who was the police officer in charge of the relief at that time, visited the said cell block where the diarist, PC Federico Tush, reported that he heard a bang inside the cell. We have one police officer, Mr. Alpheus Parham, he has been detained and escorted to Belize City and the investigation continues at this time.”
Marion Ali
“What is he claiming? What happened inside that cell?”
Sgt. Leslie Wade
“At this time we have no information from PC Parham in respect to this incident.”
Marion Ali
“And how are police looking at this killing; as a sudden death, as a self defense; what?”
Sgt. Leslie Wade
“Like all police matters, we are treating it as an ordinary homicide/murder.”
In November of 2009 Goff was critically wounded and had to undergo surgery for the chop wound he suffered on his head in Carmelita Village, Orange Walk. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
Parham will be arraigned on Tuesday. In 2007, the Court of Appeal upheld a sentence upon Sheldon Arzu, a former Police Constable assigned to Caye Caulker who was found guilty and sentenced to thirteen years after he was found guilty of the Manslaughter of Ruben “Pony” Alarcon. The incident occurred at the same police station and Arzu claimed self-defense but witnesses testified that Alarcon had no weapon and posed no threat.
Those police stations are really getting out of control in the islands; if they won’t leave the islands voluntarily shoot them in the head.
Why don’t we get to see the killer photo on this report, why his is identity being with held?
If the victim was already in a cell locked-up, how was it possible for the victim to assault the officer?
This is just another crooked cop killer on the loose, using his badge to assault and murder innocent people. This will be just another case of self-defense from the police department.
It is time that the victims family stop letting these cops get away with murder.
Police rage is out of control here in Belize. However, let’s listen to both sides before assuming that the Caye Caulker incident was simply police brutality.
Some of the “bad a.. bros” on the streets deserve a bullet or two up their a…es. Let’s not become so sensitive and critical that we impede law and order from doing their jobs. By the same token, if was premediated murder, then we need to hang the policeman high.
Let the investigations begin.
It is unfortunate that it all lead to this on my beautiful island. Sadly this guy and his friends go up and down the island harassing tourists all day long, begging them for money and when the tourists refuse they try to intimidate them. It is a problem that should have been dealt with long ago so that it wouldn’t reach this point where an officer got so frustrated that he took out his frustrations by killing this guy.
I find it amazing at how those guys have the audacity to come on national TV and claim to be victims and even have a teardrop on their eyes when on a daily basis they go about trying to frighten tourists into giving them money, harassing female tourists for sex and threatening the locals.
The media should have asked those three friends of the deceased what they do for a living on the island. What kind of job they do. All three of them do is walk up and down the street harassing tourists for money.
If it was murder then hang the cop high BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET RID OF THIS SCUMBAGS FROM THE ISLANDS SO THAT WE CAN LIVE PEACEFULLY WITHOUT HAVING TO LOOK AT OUR ISLAND DETERIORATE INTO THE CRAPHOLE THAT SOUTHSIDE BELIZE CITY IS.
this police need to suffer they are sick so sick they taking people for dogs and birds out herethey just like criminal on the street of belize
Belize ooh my sweet Belize, Land of the Free. Or should we say of the gunslingers. we are living in our sweet piece of paradise where not only we should fear the criminals BUT the Cops as well. The are even worst than the criminals themselves. Only In Belize do we have this madness of Police killing other police in/at the police Station as well as crooks and criminals. We are reaching at a critical point where the government needs/must shake up the police force restructure the chain of command and apply the full force of the law to their own as well.
Why havn’t the Sgt that shot Corporal Sanchez been convicted.Why were they so quick to convict this other cop.This is double standard.The crime the Sgt comitted against his corporal Sanchez was worst than this he needs to be convicted.
When are you guys going to get it?The problem here is not the Police Department.The problem here starts with Mr Barrow he is the Head of the House.He sets the rules.It’s like in a family if the parents don’t set a roadmap for the kids then they are going to go astray.What do we expect from an overworked an underpayed cop?
Elgin Martinez, are you saying that when a police man shot and kill a person we should go deal with Mr. Barrow who is the Head of the House instead of dealing with the cop and their department directly?
Although I believe that some of the rules in the book need to be change as soon as possible, I also believe that a man knows right from wrong. We cannot always blame the Government for everything that happens in that country.
Quoting Islander: I find it amazing at how those guys have the audacity to come on national TV and claim to be victims and even have a teardrop on their eyes when on a daily basis they go about trying to frighten tourists into giving them money, harassing female tourists for sex and threatening the locals.
This is a very heavy accusation that you placed upon these men, although I believe that those men are hustlers I still do not condone the behavior of the police, and I have seen for myself that it is not only the hustlers gone to the island harassing tourists both for sex and money.
Cops & Criminals are cut from the same cloth.
Laws are put in place for a reason; to be followed by all and enforced “correctly” by police. Hopefully there will be a crackdown on Police protocol AND ALSO hustlers will be reprimanded at the time with proper police surveillance for harassing people. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly.
There needs to be a complete restructuring of the police department from the top down otherwise incidents like this one will continue to happen, so sad. The minister of the Police needs to be replaced because it is obvious he does not have a clue about policy direction for the department, he had promised a three hundred and sixty degree change but instead of improvement we have seen things steadly getting worse under his stewardship.
all the cops they sending out on caye caulker “to protect the people” are so corrupt! and no matter how hard the natives are trying to get them out no one is helping us. all of them they walk around caye caulker just beating up people for no reason. they walk around in their uniforms drunk as ever…. its sad. really we might as well just do it on our own….we dont need them out here, if this is what we’re getting to protect us. i can name quite a few stong men on caye caulker, that are born and raised and now our island inside and out that would take thier role and do a gret job in protecting and keepin caye caulker peacful like it once was.
No one is listening to us, and i just think that BELIZE needs help from outside to come in and investigate on all them begining with the “Government”!!!
All we can do is keep praying and hopefully soon it will all be out, and we’ll get the real help we need. this is getting way too out of hand now.
they are using “criminals” as an excuse now….
Please, please do something about these disorderly police officers. Why is it that Belizean nationals are getting harrassed for trying to make a living in the Cayes. So now black people cannot work in teh Cayes? So now they have the right to say who can work where, and assault who they THINK are trouble makers?
What the hell is Belize coming to.
Too much things is happening in belize city, And most of the eye witness and friends that are giving comments on the news are the biggest crook da caye caulker . Because Gilbert Diaz da one a belize biggest thief and crack head.
But it is so sad to say belize gone to r… know that u cant even go to the law u are not safe in no sense that is so sad.
It is best u just pray to god only him can save u out of these hard times, because working in caye caulker is hustling all around or any other cayes for that fact the drugs is push and peddle very heavily on these cayes and even the tourist smoke the drugs hard and that put them in very tight situation that can cost them there life. So all i can say is pray pray pray because it only going to get worse
Like I said, the ” Police death list” will continue to grow. As I saw the news, it reminded me of “Pony” Alarcon. That was an execution, by a rogue cop, who got a slap on his wrist for a sentence. I knew the guy and he was a cool person. May he continue to rest in peace.
no one really knows what happened in that cell block, other than the fact that a man was killed.
it seems to me, judging from the news reports, that the officer snapped.
I don’t think ppl realise that police officers are underpaid! They have no benefits or motivation to put their all into their jobs. these days anyone can make a false complaint against an officer and they are suspended and their reputations are tarnished.
they are over-worked yet they receive no overtime except during September celebrations….if they can’t meet bills at home and provide for their families – that will frustrate them. some officers have to commute daily and that is tiresome.
Barrow needs to revamp the entire department and do a full assessment of the police’s income and then give them a significant raise. I also think that they need to have officers under go a psychiatric evaluation every 6 – 12 months. Then if after that, officers are still hustling on the side and still shooting ppl unnecessarily then they be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
RIGHT NOW THEY ARE MERELY GETTING DRIED UP LEMONS AND STILL EXPECTED TO MAKE LEMONADE! LET’S GET IT RIGHT FROM THE TOP BEFORE WE STEREO TYPE ALL POLICE OFFICERS!
i feel sorry for what happend to my father. i think its good hes trying to make a life for himself at caye caulker. but with all do respect he should probably use the good hes in and spread it with his daughter and i in the city. for we too have the right to live in “paradise” which he said.
what needs to happen is the whole police unit needs to be transferred out of caye caulker and be replaced by new officers so that people can trust and respect the officers especially since this is not the first incident THESE OFFICERS IS OUT OF ORDER
yes they are and the news today proves it .. he will have time in the ramada to think about it!
I can definite relate to what icanrelate is saying that is so true merely because i was a cop and can shed a whole lot of light on that situation. working in the cayes
You have done it once more! Amazing read.
everyon’s talkin about he’s a killer.indeed he did something really wrong. everyone does certain things they don’t intentionally want to do when they are placed under stress, pressure, anger and frustration. i’ve known parham for quite sometime. i’ve known him so well that i know that he wouldn’ hav intenionaly done what he’s done. i remembered him teling me aftr he nearly crashed because of swerving the vehicle to avoid killing a dog ‘the last thing i would ever want to do is to kill someone’. and i believe him-still.
Was there anyone else around when the murder occurred? no one know’s what actually happened. he could have been aiming at other parts of this man body or rying to shoot past just to scare the man to make him behave. maybe the mr.goff could have actually moved and the bullet hit him accidentally and in the wrong spot.
You’ve done it again! Amazing writing.
Thanks Mcneal. i hope others would consider the few points i made above.
i dont see why people bad mouthing my cousin for cause know one knows what happen in the ceil… my cousin is a good police he has been a police for many years… i just wish my cuz the best in life and hopefully he wont be in jail for life and they will look deep into this invsetigation…
in regards to what that islander rote about these three not having a job, for his information i am a local musicion and actor in the first ever dramatic telivtion seriies in belize call no matta what. i do not go around harrasing tourist for money, i simply set a table out and sell the product. which is my own albums i poduce. the other rasta peson also works,so i think that who ever rote that text should apologize to the belize city residence in calling there domain a !@#$ hole. belize for belizean and as belizean we should be able to go where ever parts of belize we choose whith out any discrimination.
Danman why make it about race? There are plenty black men on the island who make a decent living working hard and good jobs.
You and I know exactly what it is that you do out there and skin color has nothing to do with it.
STAP SELL WEED PAHN DI STREET BREDDA,
weh kinda job mouthy got?