Philip Swift was murdered near his home

In our newscast on Wednesday night, we also reported on the murder of Philip Swift. Swift was killed in close proximity of his house on Ebony Street shortly after five o’clock in the evening. Up until news time, no arrests have been made nor has police been able to conclusively determine a motive. News Five’s Isani Cayetano revisits that murder today.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Nineteen year old Philip Swift, affectionately known as PJ, had just set out to walk his beloved pet Spice, a female pit bull terrier, when his life was cut short in a spray of bullets.  The cold-blooded execution on Wednesday was carried out less than a hundred yards from his bungalow on Ebony Street where he resided with his family.  His aunt, who chose to remain anonymous, told us how she learned of his murder.

Voice of: Philip Swift’s Aunt

“I heard the news and I didn’t realize that it was him because I was outside feeding my dog and I heard, my two sons were inside looking at the TV and I heard the name and I didn’t really believe that it was him and my son told me that it was a school student so I decided to, [well] I never did pay it no mind.  I just took a shower and went to church.”

Understandably, the aunt did not realize that it was he who was killed earlier that evening.  In a report we carried on the incident a mistake was made with another individual bearing the namesake.  His neighbor, who was over at the house at the time of the incident, heard the volley of shots.

Voice of: Philip Swift’s Aunt

“We mi deh inside ina my auntie house and we just hear five gunshot: bam bam bam bam bam. After deh so we run out and when we come outside, the lee bwai deh ina di drain. That’s just it, we noh see nothing.”

Philip Swift

According to the aunt PJ had spent the day at home.

Voice of: Philip Swift’s Aunt

“My sister told me that he was home most of the day resting.  And in the evening they said he took his dog and went out for a walk.  Before he went he was with, right before he went he was with his sister Tiffara and she said she heard a gunshot and when she heard the gunshot she ran out.”

The discovery was her sibling mortally wounded from a number of bullets that tore through him.  On the ground were four expended shells.  As he laid there motionless the leash he was using remained wrapped in his palm, blood oozing out of the wounds he received to the head.

Voice of: Philip Swift’s Aunt

“It was so devastating to see him on the ground just like that.”

Isani Cayetano

“What was the last conversation you had with him like?  Did you have a pleasant one?  Did you give him any kind of advice on his lifestyle or anything of that sort?

Voice of: Philip Swift’s Aunt

“Yeah, the last time I came down here was like two to three weeks ago.  I told him, as I come in I asked his mother where is PJ, ih say right in his room so he come out when he heard my voice and I told him I said ‘Yo stop gi yoh ma trouble?’ So he shook his head and he said yes.”

But it would seem as though the nineteen year old former student of Excelsior did not confine his troubles to home.  Earlier this month he ran afoul of the law when he was arrested following the robbery of a tourist.  His aunt, in a tearful testimony, described her nephew as someone who was needy.

Voice of: Philip Swift’s Aunt

“The last thing before I left he said “aunty I want to sell you something” and he sold me a shirt for five dollars.  That was the last thing he did.”

Belize City police are investigating this homicide and are seeking two suspects in connection with the incident. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.