U.S. teacher murdered in Teakettle

With most murders that take place in Belize–at least those not connected to a robbery–there is usually a connection between the killer and the victim. But the homicide that occurred Monday evening in the Cayo District appears to be an exception … and a popular U.S. born educator will never again appear in a classroom.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Was forty-three year old Peter Phillips killed because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time? That’s the question Belmopan police are trying to answer tonight, but preliminary findings suggest the U.S. national may have been murdered by mistake. According to lead investigator Sgt. Sinquest Martinez, at the time of the homicide the victim was watching the house of a friend, Joe Yeager who lived with his family in Teakettle Village in the Cayo District.

The Yeager family came to Belize about ten years ago and ran a dance school in Belmopan called Dramatic Force. But trouble started when one of the family’s daughters, Bethany Yeager, became involved in a relationship with a Belizean, Roger Emmanuel. The young couple had a son and got married. Joe Yeager reportedly did not approve of the union and it resulted in a series of conflicts between the two men that escalated last week when someone viciously attacked Mr. Yeager at his residence.

Sinquest Martinez, Lead Investigator
“He discovered that his light bulb was broken right after he had just come home and he came outside and tried to clear the debris off the bulb and this was when he was attacked by this person.”

Following the incident, Joe Yeager and his family left for the United States. They asked Peter Phillips to stay at the house and watch the property until they returned. Phillips reportedly had occupied the home only five days when he was murdered.

Sinquest Martinez
“We believe that the person who attacked last week is or could be the person that attacked this man.”

Police believe Philips was lured outside the house after someone knocked on the back door. When the cops arrived at the residence around five-thirty on Monday evening, they found Phillips lying face up at the bottom of these steps.

Sinquest Martinez
“There were pieces of wood and a door on top of him.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Were there any visible signs of injuries?”

Sinquest Martinez
“Yes there were. To the head and under his eyes.”

The police were alerted by area residents who discovered the body after a next door neighbour became concerned.

Soila Hewlett, Neighbour
“Every morning she would see the man and she hail him and tell him good morning, but that morning she nevah see ah and that’s why she concerned.”

“Well I feel unsafe because dah close by and we noh hear nothing so that is what make us concern and worried about our safety.”

Peter Phillips, who resided in Belmopan, had taught for a year at The Belize Christian Academy and earlier this month was hired by Galen University where for the past two weeks he gave classes in world history.

Nancy Adamson, Vice President, Galen University
“He taught full time at Belize Christian Academy and they don’t teach in the summer and Galen operates all year round, so we had a need for someone to teach our world history course this summer.”

“Peter was a gifted teacher. The students were having so much fun in his class. Whenever I’d say, “Peter how is class going?” he would say, “This is so much fun.” He just radiated excitement, he just loved to teach and the students were responding to that.”

Sayuri Cattouse, Student
“We did not really know him for quite a while, but when we met him he was a nice person so this is really a shock.”

The school’s vice president Nancy Adamson says she had only gotten to know Phillips for a couple of months when he was interviewed for the job, but she would have never imagine that Friday was the last time she would have seen him alive.

Nancy Adamson
“It’s shocking, just unbelievable that someone who was so full of life, so friendly, enjoying himself with so many prospects is gone from us.”

Sinquest Martinez
“It is so unfortunate that the deceased was here and he may have gotten caught up in this cross fire.”

Following the murder, authorities started looking for their main suspect Roger Emmanuel. But it was not until this morning that Emmanuel, in the company of his father, handed himself in to police.

Sinquest Martinez
“What is happening, the investigation is pointing on him and we have some vital information that come to us and that we have pointing to him.”

Roger Emmanuel remains in police custody and it is expected that he will be charged with murder on Wednesday.

According to our unofficial tally, the murder of Peter Phillips is number forty-nine for 2007. Four of the last six homicides have taken place in the Cayo District.