Robbery and murder of U.S. national in quiet Sittee
miriam simi
On Monday night we reported on a particularly violent weekend; three persons were murdered in the City, San Ignacio and Dangriga. At press time tonight, Dangriga police are questioning two persons in connection with the homicide of a US national who was stabbed to death in her house. Her body was discovered at around nine on Monday morning at her house in Sittee River Village, Stann Creek. As we reported on Monday night’s newscast, an employee of the fifty-six year old woman called her out from across the river to get him a boat as was established routine. But his calls were not answered. The employee got help and went across the river where along with a neighbor; they found Miriam Simi dead in her bedroom. She was stabbed and there were signs of violence on her face. Her house was ransacked and a few items were missing, in what appears to be a case of robbery that turned into murder. Miriam and her estranged husband, Daniel Simi, first visited Belize several years ago and then together they moved to Sittee River Village in 2007. The union soon failed and Daniel moved out, leaving Miriam alone in the house on the riverbank in the village. Today, we visited Sittee River Village and spoke with residents who described the victim as a polite foreigner who was helpful and kind to the locals. News Five’s Marion Ali has the details.
Marion Ali, Reporting
daniel and miriam simi
This picture of fifty-six year old Miriam Simi and her estranged husband, Daniel, was taken a few years ago in happier times. Miriam lived alone in a two story house on the riverbank in the village after their break-up a couple years ago. But sometime on Sunday night a robber or robbers broke into her house and murdered her. We could not access the premises today due to ongoing police investigations, but we have confirmed that whoever murdered Miriam gained access to her home by cutting a screen door on the back upper flat of the house. Her murder came as a total shock to residents of the easy-going village because they say Miriam was a friend.
Voice of: Friend of Deceased
“Very honest and very helpful and kind person. From since ih get yah I never heard that she and anybody get into any problem before.”
Marion Ali
“And then she was discovered on Monday morning. Can you tell us what went through you and heard and saw what you saw?”
Voice of: Friend of Deceased
“I usually have some bumps on my skin, but when I heard it all of them got bigger and lot more come out. I mean, for me to see the lady at least a day or two aback, a beautiful young lady, when I end up see ahn the morning when I see her dead, I was like cold seed come all over mi body. It’s got to be somebody that knows her because there is a neighbor that lvies a little distance not too far.”
Marion Ali
“And nobody heard anything?”
Voice of: Friend of Deceased
“Not even a dog bark.”
mourna andrews
Mourna Andrews, Sittee River resident
“The first house she came to is mine. And she and her husband and that’s when she was traveling back and forth. I am the one along with my nephew that build her house. This village is not like that. This is a peaceful village and it’s really shake the whole village.”
The incident will also impact something else the villagers believe because now they say tourism will suffer.
Voice of: Friend of Deceased
“We never have a murder like that inna this village yet before and for me to see one like that, and knowing the type of people that live in Belize, it gonna throw a very bad effect on the village and the people. I mean up to now, it very hard for us to get a job here in Sittee from the white people. They go out and bring other people in.—they don’t want to hire the local. Now this come back, it’s gonna make it even worser that they don’t want to hire the locals from here.”
The thief or thieves stole a laptop and other household items from the premises. Her daughter is expected to arrive in the country by Wednesday to help police determine what else might have been stolen in the robbery and murder. Marion Ali for News Five.
Where is her estranged husband? Miss Andrews, if this is the excuse the white people needed to not hire locals, what was their excuse before What happened to Mrs. Simi was horrible but it does not taint the entire community or justify bigotry.
MAYBE NOW…………THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WILL GIVE US THE CRIME FIGHTING ASSISTANCE THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED.
BUT………….WE NEED TO ASK FOR IT.
This is a sad story, sounds somewhat like a crime of passion with the violence on her face was likely made out to look like robbery; does anyone know where this estranged husband is? Notice his whereabouts was not mentioned in the story.
Miriam was a kind and generous person with an open heart. Her creativity held no bounds and her work was appreciated by all her clients in CT. It is a sad loss for all. That something like this could happen to such a beautiful woman is extremely disturbing. I hope the good people of Belize will prosecute and instill a punishment that is similar to what was done to Miriam to the monstrous person(s) who committed this vile crime.
Miriam will be missed by many people in Ct who new her. She was an amazing artist and person. She always smiled and had alot of spunk. Our prayers are with her family.
and………….WHEN HE IS CAUGHT……….. SEND HIM TO THE PRISON FARM TOO….. 4 LIFE!!!!!
BUILD THE PRISON FARM IN TOLEDO…………
there they can EARN THEIR KEEP and PROVIDE FOR THE REST OF SOCIETY.
Earl Grey…If i knew who u were i’d slap the s… out of you!!!! What the F,,,,, is your problem with my beautiful home Toledo!!! WE DONT WANT ANY PRISON FARM HERE OK…GET THAT IN YOUR THICK HEAD!!!!!! y Toledo?????
Seems to me, that this is quite the happy ending for Daniel. Last I heard, he had not much more than a moped to his name. Mirium wouldn’t give him anymore money, or a divorce, and she was living in their beautiful home that they designed together after many, many years of hard work in the US. Luckily for him, he lives in the murder capital of the world. Now, he will have the money he’s been asking Marium for, and the house for his new girlfriend who thought nothing of coming between their marraige in the first place. This is what I hope. He moves in to their home, without the girlfriend, and fufills the beautiful retirement dreams that Mirium had. In honor of her. She wanted to “give back” in her retirement years. She planned on embracing the villagers with her generous gift of their trade. She wanted to teach them, help them, introduce them to the pride of business ownership. She was such a beautiful person. Instead, Daniel moved in with his new girlfriend before Mirium even arrived to Belize and crushed their lives and dreams for retirement. He managed to get some money from her which from what I heard was nickeled and dimed away on lavish vacations with his girlfriend. So, it sounds like he was left with nothing but his moped and his girlfriend. He is a wood worker. I heard that even his tools were stolen. Curious, what is one capable of in this state after pretty much having it all? And I find it odd that the reportings say that the house was “slightly” ransacked with a “few” items missing. If the primary purpose wasn’t one to be made to “look” like a robbery, then why wouldn’t they go to town on stealing stuff??? Perhaps the payoff is yet to come?? I pray to God that these vicious, cruel, evil, murderers get their justice. After all, I am Christian so I pray that they will do their penance in jail. I heard hell is far worse! And that is surely where they are going after making this iron clad deal with the Devil. I am so disgusted that a beautiful angel such as Mirium could be brought to her death is such a horrid way. I will always be haunted by the thoughts of my friends murder. I know Mirium is in God’s Kingdom. I don’t know why she had to go through this before getting there, but she is in forever peace now.
Good information Conn Friend at least we now have an idea what or what not a role the husband might have played in the life of Miriam, I am sure Miriam would appreciate that you have made a voice for her when she is unable to do so.
Connecticut person, you seemed like you knew the family very well! You are 100% right, daniel should have never left miriam all by herself in that unsecure house. It was an unsult to miriam for him to leave her for that fat ugly woman, which he is not even happy with, what kind of vodoo is she doing to keep him there!!! the only thing she wants is his money and his house. Hopefully someone wrote a will!! The fact that someone knew the house so well and where was everything located I would say that it was one of her worker or could even be that fat ugly woman’s husband, because yes she is married and he just got out of jail too for killing someone!!! I so I hope that they find that a******e and cut off his bowls off and his sausage a little bit at the time. that jail that Earl mentionned ealier is way too nice for that J***K. Make them suffer like they did to myriam.
Conn Friend, I hope the BPD has this information. If the husband was so easily manipulated by another woman & also needs money, I don’t believe he should be eliminated as a suspect & he cannot be counted on to carry out her vision. I hope this does not become a pattern where estranged husbands use our inept Police Department & piss poor conviction rate to do what they would not otherwise have the gall to do. We still have no idea who killed the Spanish Flight Attendant.
Belize is lovely…but it remains an unsafe environment for ex-Patswho think they can change everything. They are way too patronizing, and bring negative attention to themselves. Her murder and her divorce are unrelated. A single woman living in an isolated location is a target. Poor judgement on her part, to not have safety measures implemented…it is a terrible tragedy.
citygurl, I appreciate your input. However, you have no right calling Myrium patronizing. Sounds like you knew her. Sounds like a spiteful comment to me. She was everything but that. Polite, kind, loving, giving. She didn’t think she could change everthing! What an exaggeration on your part. At least she had the guts, spirit, love, and passion to try and give back. Her heart was in the right place. And to counter your negativity, maybe her murder will result in a change in the justice system in Belize. How about that for change?? And you should not judge the fact that she was alone. Do you honestly think she wanted that??? She had plans on retiring with her family who unexpectedly deserted her. She was left alone with no other choice!! And Belize is lovely??? For who, the devils spawns??? And for you to make a down right “statment” that the husband and murder are unrelated?? How on earth are you so confident about that???
rootsman, thank you for your kind words. And, BZNinCALI than you too. I’m sure the BPD will receive this information. I pray for justice For Myrium. And I pray for a reform in the justice system in Belize.
It was not my intention to disrespect the victim, and I see how my comment could upset a friend suffering her loss…However, I clearly was referring to Ex-Pats in general, many of whom I do know, & not Miss Simi specifically. Being LEFT alone may not have been her choice, but remaining alone was her consious choice–.And her loss is a tragedy. As for Belize being lovely, that is in the eye of he beholder.
hey city girl/true belizean… I understand that Belizean and you must love it. But as far as I got my infos from. there are a lot of drugs, crimes and vodoo in your city, so it is far away from paradise… so as far as paradise you might want to check a different city with today new generation which is a lot more crooked than when we grew up back in the 70’s… if miriam would of stayed in the United states she would have still being alive… we do not have so many crooked people up there in connecticut. Daniel should of told her that he was going to go get lost with the vodoo queen and to stay us in ct., if he really cared about her, but I guess he never had cared about her since he has been cheating on that gorgoeus woman forever…. some man do not know what they got., until they lose it. Some other rich man would of died for miriam simi in the US, forget about that loser… she would have been better off and ALIVE.
well she is dead and she will be missed a whole lot. she should have stayed in the USA, she would have still been alive… Daniel doesn not have anything to do with her death, but he should have grow some balls and told her from the get go that he was seeing someone very ugly, and to stay in the USA!!! Some man do not know what they have until they lose it!!!! But we think that the police got the murderer, and if it not him than he still need the electric chair.
Maybe Daniel did not do the stabbing, but it would be very hard to convince me that he isn’t involved in a payoff. He’s being let off the hook way to easily because an unsophisticated investgation in Belize. I hope his spending is tracked for a long time.
I still can’t get over the fact that the reportings say that the house was “slightly” ransacked and only a few items were stolen. So then what was the motive?
And I guess he was joking when he threatened To kill Myrium if she didn’t give him money??
A terrible loss, a good person gone to another senseless murder. The effects of this ongoing violence which seems to be spiralling out of control we risk being far reaching for all of us that truly love Belize.
Fe “citygurl” yo sound like wan simple village gal to me, stap di rail op yo no no wa yo taalk bout.
Ladies….. None of us like what is going on in Belize, it sounds like her husband had more than a wandering eye & did not need voodoo to lose his trousers. As frustrated as all of us are with the crime rate which none of us have gotten used to, please understand that the majority of Belizeans are law abiding, the devil has dropped his seeds in many places including Connecticut, you just convicted one of his children & sentenced him to death for killing the doctor’s entire family, no one blamed his neighborhood. Bad people exist & we just need to convict ours & send the spawns he dropped off here back to him.
BZNinCALI, you make a good point. Just hard to listen to someone blame Myrium for her own murder. And you are right, our justice system in the US just sentenced a man to his death for a horrible crime. I pray that the justice system in Belize will bring Myriums murderer to justice. I don’t blame the neighborhood, but the justice system. Which, apparently needs reform as Belize has a world known reputation for being the murder capital of the world. And from what I read, it’s because murder is so easy to get away with in Belize. So, it is a great place for the devils spawns to spread their seed. A shame for the good law abiding Belizeans. I am sorry for them.
what I am wondering is how are they gone find out who did it? they would have arlready found him! they guy that they had in jail for 48 hrs was release because the police had no proof!!! How improfessional is the police, that is what I want to know? he needs to be punished or killed, whoever is responsible for it!
I wish some of you people writing stuff on the net would search for the facts before you publish your ignorant comments. Yea Miriam was a nice and wonderful woman, but her husband is not the monster you point him out to be.
Thank you Ava,
I was very close with the whole family and it sickens me to see people posting as “Conn Friend”, unwilling to put their name, and assuming Daniel had something to do with it, when they’re obviously basing it off 1 article when I’ve read multiple articles that report different accounts. If you were really friends with them in CT, I find it hard to believe you would really think Daniel would murder her or have something to do with it. It’s disgusting that you’d point there so quickly. You should be ashamed to call yourself a friend.
I have dined at the home of Miriam and Daniel on several occasions in the past. We had mutual friends and did much business together, as they both were talented artists and craftsmen . Both were loved very much. Both are missed. But whereas Miriam was an angel, I must say Daniel was the opposite. Oh yea, a great guy to party with, but …………. Give yourself up Daniel.