Teacher/son of Belmopan Mayor murdered
Aubrey Lopez
The undeterred murder rampage on Belize City streets hit home for one politician whose family tonight is coping with the loss of their son. The shocking news spread early this morning that thirty year old Aubrey Lopez, the son of Belmopan Mayor, Simeon Lopez, was gunned down execution style on Wednesday night inside a car he borrowed. The murder occurred on Prince Street and the incident still has cops baffled over the motive of the latest homicide victim who most people agree was a decent young teacher and basketball player. News Five’s Marion Ali has the details.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The flag flew at half mast and there was a sombre mood at an otherwise lively E P Yorke High School today as the faculty, staff and students grieve the murder of one of their teachers. The appalling killing of thirty year old Aubrey Lopez sometime after eleven on Wednesday night has left a numb feeling for his family, friends and students. Lopez had just borrowed this light blue Nissan Altima car from a female friend and had gone back to school to hang out with fellow teachers. But something went awfully wrong between the time he left the compound at around eleven pm, and the time his body was discovered on Prince Street half an hour later. When the blue car was later intercepted near the Queen’s Square Market police reportedly found blood stains and a point 38 Smith and Wesson brand revolver inside.
Residents of Prince Street called to report that they heard a muffled shot and then saw the light blue Nissan Altima speed off. When cops arrived, they discovered Lopez’ body lying face down with a gunshot wound to the left side of the head. The blood in the middle of Prince Street today was all that was left from the harrowing incident. News Five understands that when police intercepted a light blue Nissan Altima near the Queen Square Market shortly before midnight, three of its occupants jumped out, one of whom allegedly tried to shoot off a pump action shotgun at police while fleeing, but the weapon jammed. Two others who chose to remain inside the car were taken into custody. While it is expected they will be charged with the murder by Friday, it is little comfort for Belmopan Mayor, Simeon Lopez and his family.
simeon lopez
Mayor Simeon Lopez, Father of Murder Victim
“My family is devastated right now. He has an older brother in the states and he is devastated as well. There some blood stains on the driver’s side of the car, the car is now impounded and the police say they have two suspects. Three of them managed to get away so obviously the car was loaded with other guys.”
Marion Ali
“This was his car though?”
Mayor Simeon Lopez
“No this was a car that was loaned to him. He was a teacher here and also a basketball player with the Balling for Life programme, having a team in Belmopan in the tournament, a team that has been doing pretty good.”
His principal and fellow teachers were the last ones to see him alive just before his killers intercepted his vehicle.
Roderick Cardinez, Principal, EP Yorke
roderick cardinez
“We had a staff meeting immediately after dismissal. After that time, he went out and then he came back and he was in the staff room sitting around and when I left it was then that I observed he was speaking with the clerical office staff.”
As if written by fate, these were the last day’s notes that Lopez left on the chalkboard for his second form technical drawing students – the only physical reminder of the role he played in their lives. And in appreciation for that, the students scripted their names on these drawings that they left along with a bunch of red bells and a picture of him at the school’s office entrance. For many of them, Lopez was more than a teacher.
Alexis Ramirez, Student, EP Yorke
“When I heard it from some of the teachers I just began to cry because he was my teacher but he was my best friend as well cause he always encouraged me to do good in sports, in class and he always told me that I reminded him of himself in his youth. And he was proud of me that I wanted to be like him when I get older because we are alike.”
Marion Ali
“How was it for you – most people your age would normally have a best friend their age as well, but you found a best friend in your teacher.”
Alexis Ramirez
“Yes, although he was a teacher he got down to our levels and we talked like we dah friends from the neighbourhood, ih talk like ih trust we and we trust ah and we could tell he anything and he tell we anything and besides my best friend he was like a father figure to me.”
Christie Petillo, Student, EP Yorke
“I’m on suspension now and I needed to bring my parents but none of them didn’t want to guide me but I asked Mr Lopez and he said if he could he was going to guide me. That’s why I loved him. And ih always tell me make sure I stay I stay in school and he wants to see me graduate. But now that he’s dead I will still graduate so he can be happy for me and I will show him that I am a good girl and stay in school and don’t give any more trouble.”
Asher Canto, Student, EP Yorke
“He basically showed me that I had skills in technical drawing and he taught me the basics and now in second form I’m doing so good in technical drawing so it’s a real hard loss for me.”
As Mayor Lopez temporarily puts aside his political duties to deal with his loss, he joins other frustrated parents of victims and candidly told us that the system is lax.
Mayor Simeon Lopez
“We gotta do a lotta enforcement Marion. The laws are there, we need to do a lot of enforcement. Our criminals or the people who the police charge always get off because of the fact of some technicality. The police might need to equip itself with qualified attorneys to be able to go against these other attorneys who are defending these criminals and getting away with it. Once they are convicted man do what you have to do. I will watch and see now that we’ll sharply be moving from the Privy Council to the Caribbean Court of Justice and see if that will make any difference in carrying out the sentences.”
While police are expected to charge the two men in their custody, the search continues for the other three who escaped the vehicle on Wednesday night. Reporting for News Five I am Marion Ali.
The family is preparing now to lay to rest Aubrey Lopez.
My family and myself extend our sincere Condolences to Mayor Robert Lopez and his family and to the wife and family of the late Aubrey Lopez. This is one more diabolical act that has overtaken our once peaceful and tranquil Nation of Belize. For many years, I have been begging, pleading, exhor-ting, and advising successive governments, that there is a cloud of negligence in putting a STOP to this madness. The laws of Belize are as clear as daylight, but there appears to be a “silent obe-dience” or fear to foreign influences that tells us , ” we pay you to freeze your laws.” My God . have mercy on us all and may Aubrey rest in peace in your Glory.
I really think if one o the prime minister son is dead then they will look after the crime. Look at when shyne arrive in Belize as deportee the media are all up in deep fame for this killer he is just like the killer here he did it in another country now he come to belize want to be all famous. Thats crap all the attention of him should be putting it on the crime and not a murder as well just cause he is the prime Minister son please. look at that people all they want is attention the same way they can do that for him then might as well they go a make a big famous shots on our killers in belize cause thats what the country do promote murder.this government need to go. Crime is getting worst.
Rest in Peace…Mr.Lopez Condolence to the family
When will you realize that the government can not fixed this? Don’t you realize that those in government are products of our corrupt society, a society with no values? So tell me how in the world do you expect immoral and arrogant people to see the suffering of others?
Let me tell you something my people, IT IS UP TO US. We need to start with our own children. If parents are doing what needs to be done in the home and teachers hammer it in then when they leave us these children should be able to function and contribute more meaningfully. It is a triangle Parent- Teacher-Society.
If we do this we will begin to see better leaders in cabinet. Parents are the ones who MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. Few parents are involved in their children’s lives. Many children misbehave because they want attention from their parents. The were not born as criminals. Parents created criminals WHEN THEY FAIL TO PROVIDED LOVE AND SECURITY . And, I’m talking about the poor, I’m talking about neglecting the emotional and spiritual being of a child. Some children have all the materiel things in the world but, lack love, affirmation and acceptance. So they hook up with those who accept them and then it is lost.
So lets call on the government to help families. Take violence, glamorous and destructible songs, and sex off the television TO START WITH. Start promoting that which will is noble and humble so that this generation can begin to value and appreciate good things. So that they can feel some kind of hope and learn to live with each other in peace and harmony.
Belizean need to take back their city, A group of the same young people are doing these senseless crimes. They commit their crimes go to jail and be release to continue their killing cycles. It is sad that another innocent life is taken but since it is a politician son I hope that the government make some drastic changes. My condolences goes to the Lopez family.
I used to c Aubrey many times in Belmopan and each time I never really spoke with him. The only thing I probably ever said to him was waddup and thats all. But seeing that this guy who by all accounts was a good person with a wife a kid and a job killed for no good reason comes close to home. This could have been anyone. Condolences to the Lopez family. These killings need to stop man.
I have shed tears for the family of Abrey Lopez and I will shed tears with them again when his accused murderers are acquitted in court.
Please read this and cry with me. I cry with my words, for all the negativity that we have let prevailed in our society today, for the rampant crime, murders and blatant disregard for people’s lives and property, for the seeming inability for anyone concerned to do anything about it. Yes, let the tears roll down your face for the hostages that we have become, locked up in our homes, afraid to go out into the streets, down the lane to the store, afraid to let our children be free to play in our playgrounds or our yards, to let them go over to their friends house, fearful of hearing gunshots, running outside to have your worst fear become reality. I have cried many times for people whom I don’t even know, when I see them on the news, because one of their children got killed on the streets, wondering if my turn to cry for one of my own will come. Yes, Belize, it is time to sit down and cry, cry for the present state of what was once termed a peaceful society, cry for what we have now being reduced to, for the legacy that we are leaving for our children. Is this reality what we have to live with?
unbelievable,sensless.Aubrey deserve justice.my deepest condolences to the Lopez family in Belize and the USA.Curtis you be strong i know what you are going through leave it in the hands of the lord you are in my prayers.RiP Aubrey.
My deepest and heartfelt symphaty goes out to the Lopez Family and also his wife and son. It is sad to know what kind of society we Belizeans are living in our own country. We as Belizeans should be living in harmony with one another instead of killing each other and robbing each other. It is sad to know that innocent people who are doing right by our young people have to die in such a horendous manner. The ministers have to get up off their asses and do some drastic changes in the system so crimes like this one don’t go unpunished with the killers being free after a short time in prison. ONCE AGAIN BELIZEANS STAND UP AND FIGHT BACK FOR OUR COUNTRY BELIZE. LAND OF THE FREE BY THE CARIB SEA. R.I.P. AUBREY, GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN. AMEN
people with whom you cross paths during this short time on earth Lives have all been made positively different just by the short time they had to converse, play, learn or laugh with you….a good Belizean thru n’ thru…… your killers wont rest in peace they will continue to live in the turmoil they are creating daily….R. I .P Balla
Hey mein, i dont know what Belize is becoming to, if a guy like him can be taken away so easily from us. I knew this guy from belmopan we played vollyball together,its a shock for me to see this, makes me wonder if it worth it for me to return to belize. I just hope and pray for his family that they be strong by knowing that their son, brother, father and husband was and will always be an inspiration for the people who knew him.
May God Bless his Soul
First my deepest condolences to the Lopez family.
Mr Barrow and Mr Perdomo, your lack of diligence and negligence give the impression of gross incompetence when it comes to dealing with matters of crime in Belize. I am beginning to think that this charge can be made to all the Government as a whole. We have a very scary situation here. The society DO NOT TRUST the POLICE! We are getting NO JUSTICE! The calls for the citizenry to take matters in their own hands are starting to garner the attention of even right thinking Belizeans! The Police many times know whom is doing what.
We speak about gang leaders like they are community leaders or social workers, instead of the parasitic evil that MUST be expunged from our society. Mr Perdomo says that he is supporting “The Police and the Community working in partnership for a safer Belize.” With all due respect Mr Perdomo, the facts on crime speak to the farcical delusion that this vision has become. To reiterate, we DON’T Trust the Police, we are getting NO JUSTICE, and the Community seem to be on the verge of saying to hell with the “partnership”. My fellow Belizeans, next time it might be you!
Aubrey, R.I.P.
Condolences to the Lopez family. I pray you will get some closure for your lost. Belize people lets stop talking and start letting these animals know we will no longer be the victims in our own homes and our country. The time for talking is long gone, what is the next step????????
didnt moya active that DEMA or CEMA??? she’s just another incompetent scumbag like barrow, perdomo and jeffereis. bring the soldier on the street to patrol.. where there’s suspicious gang related hanging out.. throw grenade at them. civil war.. let’s begin! our well paid scumbag politiciana are just there for pretty looks.. they are the root of all evil in belize!
My condolences to the lopez FAMILY”-the comisioner of police said that the crime rate has gone down ,he thinks we are fools or what? he is as fool as all the cabinet ministers doing nothing..they are only good at fighting and victimising the poor people,mr. perdomo is woth a s#!% he is good for nothing only for his big salary.
I sympatize with the Lopez family, My thaughts and pray’s will be with the family.
Aubrey was a very close friend of mine, I considered him to be family.* I LOVE HIM
MAY HE REST IN PEACE.*