Midday execution of Trenton Smith on Johnson Street
Trenton Smith
There was murder before the lunch hour today in the City. Trenton Smith was released from prison in late July and this morning he was executed at a house on Johnson Street. The murder has all the trappings of a gang related homicide. News Five Isani Cayetano has a report.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The murder of twenty-six year old Trenton Smith inside this two storey wooden residence on Johnson Street shortly after eleven o’clock this morning is the latest in what is believed to be an ongoing rivalry between two Belize City gangs. Smith, who was recently acquitted of the murder of Tyrone Castillo in September 2007, was at home on Sarstoon Street minutes earlier when he was visited by someone described as dreadlocked. Smith and that individual then double rode a bicycle two blocks away to a hangout spot on Johnson Street where he was associating with a group of men when death came knocking.
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
Fitzroy Yearwood
“Earlier this morning, sometime around 11:45 police responded to number twenty Johnson Street where they saw Trenton Smith with three apparent gunshot wounds. One to the head and the upper part of the body.”
Smith was seated inside the living room of the upper flat near a window facing the street when his assailant made his way up a flight of stairs at the rear of the house. He was completely blindsided. As seen here Smith remains slumped over in the chair he was sitting in.
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood
“He was at a familiar place where he is familiar with the owners of that house.”
Isani Cayetano
“Following this incident there was a young man who was arrested at the scene of the crime. Can you tell us whether or not this person is related to the incident which occurred earlier?”
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood
“Isani that person is detained for questioning and we hope that his information would shed some light into this investigation and eventually lead to an arrest.”
At the scene of the crime a swarm of officers and curious onlookers had descended upon the area; police and B.D.F. within the cordon, spectators some distance away.
In March of last year Trenton Smith was fingered as the triggerman in Castillo’s murder which occurred outside a wake that was being held for slain gang leader George ‘Junie Balls’ McKenzie on Mayflower Street. According to an eyewitness Smith grabbed Castillo, drew a firearm from his pants waist and let loose a salvo of rounds, killing him. His exoneration less than three weeks ago came with a steep price on the streets of the Old Capital. Investigators are now trying to determine whether Smith’s murder was retribution for the crime he allegedly committed almost four years ago.
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood
“Yes he was indeed charged for the murder or Tyrone Castillo that occurred in 2007. We are not ruling that out but at the same time this person was lured to his death so obviously he went with someone that he trusted. So we cannot say that ’oh this is not a part of it.’ And yes there is an ongoing rivalry between that Ghost Town group and other sets on the south side of Belize so we have several angles that we have to examine before we can say this is direct retaliation or whether or not this is not related to his acquittal from the murder.”
Police have since detained one man for questioning. His statement, they believe, will assist in their investigation. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
This afternoon, the police reported that four other persons have been detained for questioning in the Smith murder.
I believe this boy got away with murder himself. But when they catch the gangster who killed him, they still must give him a fair conviction, and HANG HIM. Tek a life, lose a life.
ITS A MESSAGE TO ALL DEM BAD MAN OUT THERE………THE REAL JUSTICE IS STREET JUSTICE…..THINK BEFORE YOU ACK….CAUSE THE ACK WILL BE RETURNED THE SAME WAY……
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO UNTO YOU……
FORGET ABOUT THE COURTS THEY ARE NOT WORKING.
ITS A MESSAGE TO ALL DEM BAD MAN OUT THERE………THE REAL JUSTICE IS STREET JUSTICE…..THINK BEFORE YOU ACK….CAUSE THE ACK WILL BE RETURNED THE SAME WAY……
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO UNTO YOU……
FORGET ABOUT THE COURTS THEY ARE NOT WORKING.
Was charged for murder and only spent 4 years? What kind of justice was that? I have to say that the court would have served justice to even this murderer if they had done the right thing and sent him to prison for a more deserving time. Look out murderer of Trenton Smith you not so bad either, you can only hide so long until you start bragging about what you did and then it will be your turn sleep lightly for there is no rest for the wicked. Remember My Legacy B4 My People.
If you live by the gun then you die by the gun.
IT SEEMS LIKE MR. SMITH WAS SET UP. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. LIVE IN PEACE OR REST IN IT.
BAD BOY…….BAD BOY…………WHAT YOU GONNA DO???
WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THEY COME FOR YOU??????????…..and they will.
This was a Young man raised to serve the Lord however after the death of his older brother started down on the wrong path. May God jusdge him as he will all of us and may his friends and love ones pray for the forgiveness of his sins. Rest in Peace.
one less-jus good
WHAT no tinited vehicle Again !!!!!!!!
THE ONLY JUSTICE IS STREET JUSTICE THE COURTS SYSTEM IS A JOKE WHENEVER THEY KILL SOME ONE THAT PERSON FAMILY GRIEVES FOREVER BUT THE CULPRIT GOES TO JAIL FOR TWO YEARS THEN GETS RELEASE ON A TECHNICALITY CAUSE WHEN THE TRIAL COMES UP AFTER SO LONG THE EVIDENCE IS MISSING THE WITNESS DON.T WANT TO TESTIFY AGAIN OR THEY DIED OR WENT AWAY. SO IN OTHER WORDS JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED!!!
i think justice have serve for tyron. cause 4 years is nothing compare to taking some ones life .the court system in belize is weak. they need to start hang them i would go personally to the queen of england and demonstrate for justice in belize .cause that dont make no sense innocent people dieing on the street in belize .and they life go just like that. its hanging time.
I really don’t know what the F is wrong with my Belizean peope.Is this all we can think about?Kill each other.Mr Barrow how do you sleep at night knowing that so mant Belizeans are been slaughtered under your watch.The death penalty need to be implimented ASAP.
So Sad This young man was brought up right… He was very close to his older brother who died in an accident so he turned to friends who lead him away not in a positive way… He got the streets life education aka GUN 101 in classs room Queen street police station to graduate with a bacherlors in Prison Time to get a masters degree in DEATH.. 🙁
yes eyeinthesky there was no tinted vehicle used but barrow made us take off ours just to fool the people that it will curb the crime but he forgot to implement the death penalty while he is fighting to implement the 9th amendment which is more foolish and less important to the public.
justice was served
YOU COME AFA ONE U WA DEAD
DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND TO SEE HE WAS CHANGING HIS LIFE LOL
Don’t blame Barrow alone for this mess we are all in! He needs to get his share of the blame too but Musa and the rest that were there before when this mess started to happen are as guilty because when the mess started they could have killed it before it got this big!
I am sure who Smith killed was not an alter-boy either so killing him is no justice this is just another in the saga: a stupid ignorant way to die. The youths have nothing to live for so they are dying for nothing like fools!
Please don’t let us pass no judgement. As Belizean lets unite, prey for our people, country, government and court system . Let us ask in prayer that God restore peace to our land. And if at no other time, justice be serve. As well any party involve, gets a fear trial. May God be with us all, our loved ones and family.
case close cheese talk deadman walk
Pray for his family and for my country. No one deserved this, despite what he did, people he trusted led him to his death. I guess that’s how the cookie crumbled.
Do not render evil for evil…….. Belize is immoraly starpped and spiritually bankrupt, the the killer youths are not the source of the problem….
The comment from the Concern Citizen is the truth and the most inteligent comment…Trenton never killed the guy Castillo and every one in the streets knows who really killed him…