One detained for Stuart Murder; family says Maria was well-loved
Richard & maria Stuart
At news time tonight, a Guatemalan national is in custody for the brutal murders of Richard and Maria Stuart, who were viciously killed at around midnight on Saturday. While the Guatemalan has reportedly confessed to the murder, it is believed he did not act alone and police are looking for a second suspect. The Stuarts were surprised as they entered their house on Graduate Crescent and stabbed multiple times while their children and housekeeper were on the third floor of their residence. This afternoon, police were combing the getaway vehicle, owned by the Stuarts, that is impounded. News Five’s Jose Sanchez has the update on the shocking murder of the prominent lawyer and his wife.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
According to unofficial reports, one of several surveillance cameras in West Landivar may have captured the assailants before and after the murder. There is a report that the video shows one individual accompanying the Stuarts from their vehicle to the house when they returned from a farewell dinner for Chief Justice, Abdulai Conteh. After the incident, two individuals are seen fleeing in the couple’s Toyota Scion. The police department recovered the vehicle in St. Matthew’s Village on the Western Highway on Monday afternoon. It has been impounded at the Queen Street Police Station where they found a knife under the driver’s seat. A Guatemalan National, Milton Darinel Maza also known as Nicholson Alexander Maza who worked for the Stuarts, is in police custody.
Orlando Fernandez, Brother of Maria Stuart (via phone)
“Some vehicle was recovered in the Beaver Dam area. But that is as much as I know.”
Jose Sanchez
“I believe the police have a charge coming soon. Have you received information that the individual may have been a former employee.”
Orlando Fernandez (via phone)
“That is what I heard. And if that is so then that is so sad. You go out to help people, you give them employment and this is the thanks that you receive from them.”
Maza is expected to be charged on Wednesday. And while the public is very aware of the career of forty three year old Richard Stuart, his wife, Maria, also forty three, was also a person of deep religious faith. In 2008, Maria and Richard made a pilgrimage to the Vatican where they met the Pope in person. Her brother Orlando Fernandez said that she was well loved.
Orlando Fernandez
Orlando Fernandez (via phone)
“Maria was a wonderful human being. Very good sister and very adoring mother.”
Jose Sanchez
“Professionally, what did she do?”
Orlando Fernandez (via phone)
“Maria was a certified practicing accountant in Belize. She was also registered in Texas as an accountant. And someone who had a lot of studies and very accomplished academically. She was also a teacher for many years in San Ignacio and Belize City.”
Jose Sanchez
“I see. In regards to the welfare of the children, has the family discussed how they will take care of them at this point?”
Orlando Fernandez (via phone)
“Well that has been done. The family has rallied together and the children are being taken care of and they are safe. As the days go by, more permanent arrangements will be made. At this point the children have full family support, from the both sides—from the Stuart, from the Fernandez. And as far as we are all concerned they are safe and doing well.”
On September thirteenth, Richard Stuart reported that his blue Toyota Highlander was stolen. It was also recovered in St. Matthew’s Village. The Guatemalan National in custody is also suspected to have stolen that vehicle. An official mass of thanksgiving for the Stuarts will be held on Saturday morning at Saint John’s Cathedral and their internment will be in San Ignacio, Maria’s hometown.
I am happy to hear more info given about Maria. She was a lovely woman. She also had amazing professional achievements of her own as an accountant. May she and her husband RIP.
Hang them all.
SORRY FI MAGA DOG, MAGA DOG TURN ROUND BITE YOU!!
BELIZEAN SEE WEH I ALWAYS SAY ABOUT THEM ALIENS, MAD………
I WOULD VOTE FOR ANY LEADER THAT WOULD SEND ALL THESE DOG ALIENS BACK TO GUATEMALA.
I HOPE THAT THIS TWO MEN BE HANG HANG HANG.
HUMAN RIGHTS WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY NOW ABOUT THESE PARENTLESS CHILDREN,COMMON ON HUMAN RIGHTS LIKE FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALIENS TOO!!
I AM SO MAD MAD MAD MAD RIGHT NOW.
CHANNEL FIVE, I WANT TO SEE PICTURES OF THESE WORTHLESS EVIL MEN
FOR SOME REASON I NOTICE SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO PROTECT THESE MEN CAUSE NO PICTURS HAVE BEEN SHOWN OVER NEWS.
I AM WAITING OK TO SEE WHO ARE THESE DEVILS
Horrible, tragic, unthinkable, heartless, just some of the words to describe this crazy situation. I cannot begin to fathom the grief this family is dealing with. My heartfelt condolences.
Thank God that they found one person who is responsible! at least its a little bit of closure to the family. May they R.I.P and my God’s guidance and protection be on their children always.
HANG THEM!!! THEY HAD NO PITTY FOR THAT GOOD FAMILY! IF HE WORKED FOR THE STUARTS HE HAS NO HEART BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE. PEOPLE LIKE THAT DONT DESERVE ANY PITTY EITHER. COME ON NEWS FIVE PUBLIC THEIR PICTURES. THESE GUYS DONT DESERVE NO KIND OF PITTY THEY ARE WORTHLESS DOGS…SORRY TO ALL THOSE THAT THINK THAT IM CRAZY BUT I KNEW THE COUPLE AND IM SO HURT TO SEE THIS.
This man is pure evil. I knew this family, and this man was a trusted worker. He even used to drive the children to school sometimes. It is just beyond my comprehension the depravity which can exist in a human mind.
My sincere condolence to the Fernandez and the stuart family, I grew up in the west and knew maria and her family well, she was a good person, my thought and prayers go out to all who are toughed by this tradegy.
to the stuart/fernandez family. I am really sorry for your loss it is really sad what is happening in uor beloved country and good people have to die I knew mrs maria while I was working whit mr Fernandez on his company.Mr Fernandez please receive my sincere condolences.blessings
Yes, I read on 7 news that the Guatemalan was a former employee of the family. A judas in their midst. HANG HIM. And for the rest of us, be very careful who you take into your home.
you right keeping it real but actually we have two judas in our midst.
Well, this is what you get for having an open boarder – or no boarder I should say. It’s just so sad that it takes a tragedy like this to realise that we need to know who is in our country doing what. Last week it was the Asians being smuggled, now we have two outstanding citizens murdered by a bunch of dogs who probably walked across the boarder without even flashing so much as a permit.
Nevertheless , I hope that the police get to the bottom of this particular case; if not for the fact that these people have the money and influence to follow it up, then at least for the children who have irrevocably robbed of a lifetime of memories with their parents.
It seems as if though a lot of the killings done in Belize ( set aside gang ) is by people you know or people set you up… very sad, what a way to live, in constant fear… Belize , Belize, Belize…..
Most of the murders in Belize are done by Belizeans, so don’t start stereotyping all immigrants based on a the actions of a few sickos who happen to be from outside the border.
what a beautiful family seperated by evil people. These two men need to die hang them thats what they deserve. THose men are the devil and devil need to burn in hell may the stuarts rest in peace and my condolence to both family especilly their beautiful jewel of children that was left behind without their wonderful parents.RIP please mr prime minister stop the violence in our country because us as people from belize will be scared to back home to our beautiful country where we were born and raised up in stop the violence please for those beautiful kids please please please.
Mein what is happening to our little jewel call Belize. Things r getting really worse and out of hand. What kind of an animal would kill both parents and leave these little angels parentless. No one can ever take the place of a father and a mother but I preay that God continue to watch over his children and wish only the best for them. I hope that the prime minister is seriously considering bringing back the death penalty or something of that sort so that we can bring an end to the senseless increase of violence that is plaguing our society today.
The brutal murders of these prominent Belizeans is indeed tragic and the perpetrators should not go unpunished; however, this incident should not be used by immigrant-haters to promote their hate agendas. In the same way that they call for all alien “dogs” to be expelled from Belize, some immigrant haters in the United States are also calling for the expulsion of alien “dogs” from their country. Both groups are narrowminded and racist. As the Student rightly pointed out, “Most of the murders in Belize are done by Belizeans”.
May God welcome this innocent couple in his presence and may He bless their children who were orphaned without just cause.
Lets not b racist. A murderer is a murderer. Its no worse because the person came across the border. The US is always bringing up race, lets not b like them. It was a crime, a horrible, terrible one, nothing more, nothing less!
hang dem all capital punishment i say should start taking action,also d police should do more investtigation bcz innocent ppl r gettin killed just bcz of anothers stupidity!RIP D STUARTS!
WHICH POLITICIAN WILL PROMISE US THE………………….. DEATH PENALTY?????????????
THERE IS evi people everywhere in the world as well as good people. please don’t let all the immigrants pay for something that one individual did., because there are many bzeans that come to the US and commit crimes and we don’t treat all belizeans wrong just for what that person did.
My heart goes out to the Fernandez Family especially the children. may God be with them always.
One @#$%ign lawyer less for belize,kill all lawyers in belize,and belize will be a better place,the whole country will be better without this parasites in belize.