Murdered at a wake

justin jones

Joan Sutherland is a fierce and outspoken member of Belizeans for Justice. In fact she is a founding member of the group because she sought justice when her eighteen year old son, Allen, was killed over a video game, but the accused walked free. Just past midnight, tragedy struck again for Sutherland. A wake for her mother became the scene of a vicious and bloody murder for another family member. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

What should have been a celebration of the life of eighty-nine year old Juanita Reymundo, the mother of social activist Joan Sutherland, in Ontario Village on Wednesday night turned out to be tragic for attendees of her wake who witnessed the murder of twenty-two year old Justin Jones.  Jones, a resident of Arlington Drive in Belize City, had taken a trip with his girlfriend Nisa Sutherland along with their fourteen month old son Nigel to pay their final respect to her grandmother when an old beef caught up with him.

Nisa Sutherland, Girlfriend of Justin Jones

“I gone and I put my baby fih gaan sleep and then I come outside back and I dih sihdown anda neath di verandah and Justin di sih down anda neath di coconut tree and he and ih friends dehn di deh and fih he friends dehn, after a while fih he friends dehn walk weh frahn ah and one gaan dah dih vehicle and one gaan da di ice box and mix wah drink and wah young man just come and stab he.”

Jones, a member of the group Belizeans for Justice, had been observing a few board games when he was stabbed once in the neck by Godwin Santos as he got up to relieve himself nearby.  He, along with his girlfriend, had temporarily moved to Ontario a little over a year ago and it is said that he had gotten into an altercation with several residents in the village and was forced out under the threat of violence.  Jones had not been back since and last night his presence was uninvited by his enemies.

Voice of: Resident of Ontario Village

“I mih deh inside dih mek coffee and sandwich fi give out to di people dehn and I give out di sandwich and gaan get di coffee and when I hay dehn di bawl out Justin and when I reach round deh soh when I sih di bwai anda di line di vomit, di vomit blood.  Ih staat to vomit blood and when I sih ih hold ih throat dehn right deh soh ih vomit di blood dehn ih gaan to my aunty car and she couldn’t find di key and thing fih get eena di car.  Dehn weh paat di blue vehicle park wah red ride mih di deh and ih come right deh weh paat di blood deh and dehn pick up he and dehn ker ahn.”

But Jones would not survive the ordeal.  This bloodstained lawn reveals that he hemorrhaged severely before being rushed to the Western Regional Hospital.  The grass here

resembles a patch of sleeping ‘Twelve O’Clock’ prickles as it is matted with blood.

nisa sutherland

Nisa Sutherland

“I deh eena di vehicle and I dih try talk to ahn and di shake ahn and I tell ahn mek ih be strong fih di baby, you know, because what happen if he goh.  Weh wahn happen to di baby, weh wah happen to me?  But he neva ansa me, he mih di breathe pan di way da hospital but when we reach deh ih mi too late.”

His mother Gladys Young was in bed when she received the message of her son’s killing.

Gladys Young, Mother of Justin Jones

gladys young

“My daughter-in-law received a call and she called out for me and the way that she called out for me I jumped out of my bed and I said ‘oh it’s not sounding good at all.’  So I dashed out through the back door and I went to she and she say Justin dead.  I just couldn’t take it.  I just run inside and bawl because Justin da wah young man he care for people.  He always loving and kind, willing fi help, give a helping hand.  I know that he have a lot of friends that care for him also and Miss Joan, I love the way how they all get together because they treat him as a son.”

For Joan Sutherland the death of her son-in-law is the second tragedy she has had to deal with in the past four years.

Joan Sutherland, Mother-In-Law of Justin Jones

“Now it makes me two grandchild that has been murdered and was the same way by one stab wound, Alaine and Nigel.  There’s no explanation.  There’s no word of comfort.  My mom [got] buried today and I couldn’t even attend the funeral.”

Sadly, Juanita Reymundo’s grave was dug yesterday by Godwin Santos also known to residents of Ontario as Jack. Sutherland simply insists on justice.

Joan Sutherland

joan sutherland

“We don’t want revenge like that Isani.  I want justice.  I didn’t get justice before, I need justice now.  I need justice now.  I need for the police department to step forward.  I need for the government to step forward.  We are suffering pain and grief.”

He surrendered himself to Belmopan police earlier this morning and now faces a single charge of murder.  Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

And as she did in the murder of her son Allen, Sutherland is pleading for justice.