Known to beat women, now dead after being beaten
Elston Leopold Gentle
A repeat domestic abuse offender became the victim of vigilante justice at Mahogany Heights on the Western Highway. Elston Leopold Gentle is a convicted offender and on Friday night he repeatedly stabbed his common-law wife inside their house. When she fled, he pursued her and continued inflicting wounds but the residents also caught up with him. News Five’s Andrea Polanco reports.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Fifty one year old Elston Leopold Gentle, a repeat domestic abuse offender, found his next victim in his common-law wife. On Friday night shortly before ten-thirty, Gentle was at home with his partner, Yvonne Smith when an argument erupted and Gentle stabbed her multiple times. It is reported that although Smith made her way out of the house, Gentle pursued her and continued inflicting the wounds. A neighbor says he used sand to cover the pools of blood in his yard. Villagers had to intervene:
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
Fitzroy Yearwood
“Members of the community of mahogany heights had to come out trying to rescue Ms. Yvonne Smith from a brutal attack by Mr. Gentle, Elston Gentle, he was formerly known as Elston Young nuh; who was sitting on top of Ms. Smith just continuously stabbing her nuh. The members, we have recorded witness statements where they said they had to use a two by four to try to whap him off Ms. Smith but to no avail he continued with his plan and eventually when he got up they set chase after him and he threatened to kill them also.”
But Gentle managed to escape from the villagers and the police for almost two days until he was recaptured in the vicinity of La Democracia. Gentle was taken to the Queen Street Police station where he died shortly after returning from the KHMH.
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood
“Upon arrival at the Queen Street Police Station, the executive duty officer at the time who is also a sergeant refused to accept Mr. Gentle, because Gentle was complaining of pain and he observed some cut in Mr. Gentle’s head. He instructed the officers to escort Mr. Gentle to the KHMH for medical attention. He was also issued with a pair of medical legal form where he was treated by Dr. Gonzalez. His injury was classified as wounding and he was released back into police custody. Upon arrival at the Queen Street compound, before even entering the Queen Street Police Station, Mr. Gentle collapsed near the entrance and apparently he became motionless.”
Andrea Polanco
“Mr. Elston Gentle, he was brutalized by police; they say that his death took place at the hands of law enforcement officers. Can you shed some light on that for us?”
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood
“Andrea, all allegations will come up and what I can tell you is that we have a criminal investigation going on as well as an internal investigation. Whether or not he was brutalized by police, we know we have witness statements where persons have confessed in their statements that they had to hit him in an attempt to save Ms. Smith’s life. I would have to wait on the postmortem results to see what is his cause of death.”
Lorna Wade
Back in June 2004 he was known as Elston Young, the man who had broken into the home of Lorna Wade and beaten her to a pulp with a two by four. We revisit an interview with the domestic abuse victim:
Lorna Wade, Domestic Abuse Victim [File; NOV 25, 2004]
“I lost sight in one of my eyes, I can’t smell, I can’t taste, and if I blend plenty I tend to drop. I lone go into fits, several times they have to call the ambulance for me”
Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood
“He was convicted under that name. This man is known for this kind of abuse, domestic abuse. The villagers believed that he would have killed Miss Smith and that is why they trieed to intervene to make an attempt to save her life. Mister Gentle was incarcerated, he received parole, and he was back out here. Why the argument ensued that night when he reached home, would be up to Miss Smith to answer. But as far as we know at the police department, we are trying to investigate all allegations.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Andrea Polanco.
Smith remains in a stable condition at the KHMH. Press Officer Yearwood says that the Police Department is awaiting the post-mortem results, which will be forwarded along with the findings of their investigation to the DPP.
It’s called karma he got EXACTLY what he deserved its just a pitty he didn’t suffer more before he died. Trash like that aint needed around here.
I am reluctant to admit it, but the failure of the police-criminal justice system has made vigilantism a necessity, to defend innocent people and the security of the law-abiding community.
“Vigilance committees” are what tamed the “Wild West” in the States a more than a century or so ago, so there is long and pragmatic history behind it.
Scum of the earth….Serves him right….
Good for the SOB. I am sure that he died from from the blows he got from the neighbors. I don’t think that police were involved in this one. I wish I were there to have inflicted some blows on him too. Maybe this is what is needed for these idiots to smarten up.
Gentle went to seek medical attention and and his injury was classified was wounding. However, Gentle died less than hour later after seeking medical attention.
This is another case of negligence by our doctors, something that has been happening too often withing our hospitals throughout Belize. (This kind of negligence has happend to the innocent before in Belize hospitals).
In the same sentence, gentle is one less savage beast off the streets of Belize.
Miss Smith should have seen this coming, the beast had a history of violence against women, love is not that blind nor stupid.
this is a street justtice ,he got what he deserve ,lets see how goverment will handle this….
they cant control crime ,lets hope they will not stand in the way of people who trying to protect them self.
Finally some one stood up to his @$$…… I am happy he reaped what he sowed….
Karma is a bad bit**
As for that fool karma caught up on his @$$ and he died like a dog on the street, and in this case no doctor to blame, he cause him self every last pain he suffered and glad the doctor dont waste time as more impotant patient to deal with in the hospital.!!!!!!!!!!!! Am no one deserve to be abuse llike that, she gave him a chance.
Karma, Karma, Karma
Serves him right. No need to waste taxpayers money for any investigations. Justice was served. A bit late but still served!
KARMA is a BAD B1TC**…..tek dat u got what u deserved…it should have happened to him ever since he abused Ms. Wade…..
if the S.O.B died of the blows received from the residents or police beat the hell out of him so what, he deserves more than that. make one less in the country and the number of victims will be less since one is down and many more need to go. why cry for him when he made many victims cry.
and more happy we’ll not pay for his hotel in kolbe with our taxes. we need our taxes tobe use for us the law abiding citizens, for the childrens educational facilities, the elders and more important things.
Justice Served…!!!! Lets get together and protest the DPP and police if they try to pin this on anyone….this case should be filed away or burnt up…we should not have any records of someone like this….Karma..!!
I totally agree with all of the above statements. My only question to the police is why was this Manic even given parole. he should have served his entire sentence. Why is the police investigating???? he got what he deserved he nearly killed one woman in 2004 and another is in the hospital right now. what were the neighbors to do leave him to kill her.
The problem is that so many women think that they are the one who can change these women beaters. The truth is that it is not easy for a man who abuse women to stop without help. Some of these men have little education if any, they have low self esteem or none at all. Women is property to the, and that is how they treat women. These men do not know how to love a woman, the relationshio is mainly based on sex, a roof over their head, a plate of rice and beans, and smallo change they get from the woman to buy cigarrett, Belikin beer, or bus fare to go into the city and look for more women. Wake up women stop taking in these idiots just for some sex, you can’t change that kind of man.
In January of this year they found my elderly aunt dead after her house was engulfed in flames. The police just called it an accident and filed the case away. Mr. Elston Young was the person that was taking care of my aunt before he went to jail and it seems that she promised him her land and inheritance when he came out of jail 2 days later my aunt was dead. We firmly believe he was responsible for her death but then again police wont go out of their way to investigate if something looks clear cut to them. It’s sad that he is out here in the first place he is a serial killer and he got what he deserved it so sad that he had to take my aunt’s life before this happened!
Concern too bad your aunt isn’t the prime Minister’s sister,the police would have definately investigated her case.May she rest in peace and my deepest condolence goes to your family.
We can count on Dr. Estradaban to determine that this fool died of natural causes. A good assin can cause a brother to have a massive stroke. Thank you good citizens of Mahogany Heights.
Negligence by the doctors or not. Who cares? he got his just deserve.im surprised he lived that long. Him and Ms Wade use to be my neighbors long time ago and this man was just cruel. Good riddance to damn rubbish. This should happen more often because Belize is polluted with domestic abusers of all shape and form.From top gov’t workers to guys cleaning the streets. Sometimes we see Mrs this and Mrs that on the streets who pretend to be happy but God knows they’re not. I know of police officers that use to abuse their wives but when they go to the station, they get no justice because its one of their own thats the culprit. Sad but true.
THOSE DAYS ARE OVER WITH, BELIZE MEN. TRY SOMETHING ELSE. WOMEN GOT RIGHTS NOW, HUH. TEK DAT.
THAT DOGG DESERVE TO BURN IN HELL. I WILL NEVER FORGET THE NIGHT MY FRIEND CALLED ME AND MY SISTER TO MY AUNTS AID.. LORNA WADE. MY AUNT.. HE ALMOST KILL MY AUNT.. I NEVER TAUGHT ID SEE MY AUNT SOAKED IN BLOOD. HE BEAT MY AUNT IN THE HEAD WITH A PIECE OF WOOD.. MY AUNT HEAD LOOKED LIKE AN ORANGE THAT SOMEONE STEPPED ON OVER AND OVER… I HATE THAT MAN. WHEN I SAW HIM I HIT HIM WITH MY UMBRELLA. IM MAD WITH MYSELF FOR NOT STABBING HIM TO DEATH THAT NIGHT (GOD PLEASE FORGIVE ME).. BUT DNT OPEN UR GATES FOR HIM HE NEED TO BURN IN HELL.. EVEN THE DEVIL MIGHT REJECT HIS SORRY @$$.