Morning stabbing, afternoon shooting leave 2 dead

Tonight homicide detectives are working overtime as they try to solve two separate murders that occurred less than twenty-four hours apart. News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin had the gruesome task of chronicling the carnage today. Her coverage begins at the corner of Magazine Road and Vernon Street where a pedestrian was shot dead in mid-afternoon traffic.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
At the crime scene police recovered the three expended shells believed to have used in the cold-blooded shooting of twenty-eight year old Densley Arnold. All three shots hit Arnold in the chest as he was walking his bicycle on Magazine Road towards Vernon Street.

Supt. Chester Williams, O.C., Crimes Investigation Branch Bz. City
“At this time we have very little. Sometime around three-forty this evening, the police were called to this location where we received information that a male person by the name of Densley Arnold was shot.”

“From what we have gathered so far, there were two male persons who came on foot and after having fired the shots, they went separate ways on foot. I will not give full details as to how they went or whatever.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“It is true Mr. Williams that at the time of the shooting the victim was riding a bicycle?”

Supt. Chester Williams
“From our investigation, yes, he may have had a bicycle with him.”

Marion Ali, Love FM
“So it appears at this moment in time that he was the intended target?”

Supt. Chester Williams
“Yes, from what we have gathered so far he was alone in the area, the persons they came to him, so most naturally he was the intended target.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“What do we know about the victim?”

Supt. Chester Williams
“The victim, I will not disclose any information in relation the victim. He is a victim of crime and regardless of what type of character he may have, his character does not need to be brought up to the public because he is dead.”

Arnold, who worked as a lab technician at the Pathology Lab at Universal Health Services, was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, but died while undergoing treatment.

Gaynor Richards says she does not know why her boyfriend was executed. She thought Arnold was at work when she got the dreaded phone call.

Jacqueline Godwin
“We understand he was riding his bicycle when two guys approached him, so I was wondering if you believe it could possible be robbery?”

Gaynor Richards, Girlfriend of Murder Victim
“He wears a lot of jewellery, but all his jewellery is there; nothing is gone, all his jewellery is there.”

At this time the police are appealing to anyone who can assist them in their investigation to contact them.

Supt. Chester Williams
“At this time the police have no particular motive. We’re still at the preliminary stage of our investigation and we’re appealing to anyone within the area who may have any information that they believe could assist our investigation to please feel free to come forward. They could call the 922 hotline number or they could call the 911 number or they could visit us at the C.I.B. office in Belize City and we will be more than willing to be assisted with whatever information that could assist our investigation.”

Up to news time tonight no arrests had been made and police were only able to tell us that a short handgun was used in the shooting. Jacqueline Godwin for News Five.

A Ladyville man died early this morning following a stabbing incident at a village nightspot. And while his death has shocked the community, the motive behind the crime might be even more startling because today witnesses told News Five’s Jacqueline Godwin that the violence began because of a rumour.

Emelia Fortnard, Eyewitness
“I am the one who yell at him at the moment and that’s the reason when he get the stab. By the time I say, “Kofi lookout!” that dah the word I holler to him and the same time he get the stab at the side ah his neck.”

Brenda Beeks, Mother of Murder Victim
“Me and my son sit down and eat round fi we table yesterday and this dah the news that I get, that he kill my son. I want justice serve for this, because if it no be, I noh know what wah happen to he.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Today family and friends of twenty-seven year old Kofi Nigel Beeks are left in shock after the young father was viciously stabbed around one-thirty this morning. The crime occurred outside of this fast food and drink establishment in Ladyville Village. The business’s co-owner Emelia Fortnard says her friend was waiting for her when he was attacked.

Emelia Fortnard
“He was there for me, you understand me miss. And the thing weh hurt me a lot is because it happen dah front ah me, less than even a border line.”

According to Fortnard, the attack was so sudden Beeks didn’t even have time to defend himself.

Emelia Fortnard
“This young man by the name of Glenford Ferguson that I knew of approximately three to four weeks ago, he came up with a Belikin bottle head. His father jumped in front of him, knocked it away; the bottle fell on the ground. He took out the knife out of his right pocket, it was blue switch blade and he juk Kofi on the left hand side of his neck. At the moment he juk Kofi, Kofi had my hand hold like this and dah when I feel Kofi di let go from me, I say, “Kofi what go on?” He never answer me all he say, “Ow, ow, ow!” Then I realised what happen to ah and then I tek and I tell them one, let’s go, close and then I run outside. By the time I run outside Kofi done reach the table, and when he reach, I just start to see blood start to spray.”

“The young man took—he and his father ride off on a bicycle and I actually see when he hand his father the knife and he had a beer bottle, a beer that his father was drinking and he take it and stone it on the street.”

When police from the Ladyville police station arrive at the scene, they rushed Beeks to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Brenda Beeks
“I hope justice serve for my son murder because my son is a healthy, healthy child and he noh fass (bother) with nobody. I know he drink and smoke his cigarette, run his little jokes and argue with his friends. But come on, he never had to cut ah like that fi mek I go see my son lay down there.”

Brenda Beeks says when she reached the K.H.M.H. her son was on a gurney covered with a sheet.

Brenda Beeks
“So I ask the doctor what happened and he say well he mi try save his life, but he couldn’t nothing else to save him because he get a bad cut to his neck and he get a stab by his ear. But I noh know why they do Kofi that because he drink, but he no fass with nobody. Well everywhere he go, I noh go with ah, but I know he is a loving and kind person to everybody. He like make joke and thing with people. Maybe he mi at the wrong spot at the wrong time and very, very hurt me to see how he just kill my son.”

According to the police, official investigations into the murder have revealed that Beeks was drinking at the establishment when he got into an altercation with a Ladyville resident who used a broken beer bottle to inflict the fatal wound.

But Fortnard, who says she witnessed the incident, denies that report. She says there was no argument; the murder was caused by mischievous talk that involved the killer, the victim, and two young teenaged girls.

Emelia Fortnard
“It’s not the result of no altercation, I have explained to the police. It is not the result of no altercation, it is that the young man Glenford Ferguson mention last week Saturday that Kofi is going back and telling Greg things about him—well something about Kofi the ker message back to Greg.”

“Because last week Saturday me one mi di work at the fast food place when the same young man, Glenford come there. He seh, “So Kofi he the ker message back to Greg.” So the same way, the evening, just a little before that I meet Kofi and I say Kofi, “I hear you di ker message to Greg.” He say, “Gyal, I am no gyal out yah.” And it seems to be like that is a payback.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“But what message, what would have triggered this young man to kill Kofi?”

Emelia Fortnard
“Due to—that there were two little young ladies out at the bar, a fifteen year old. … And due to the reason the young man probably feel like Kofi know the Greg was probably trying to get this young lady and he probably feel like, oh if you can’t get her, he can’t get her, then none ah we noh wah get her.”

Ladyville police have since detained twenty-two Glenford Ferguson, Jr. pending charges of murder. Ferguson’s father has also been detained. The authorities also have in their possession what is believed to be the murder weapon.

Tonight Brenda Beeks says there is no reason why her son had to die and today cried out for justice.

Brenda Beeks
“So I want to ask him, what Kofi do he fi mek I lose my healthy son, just like that. Because nowadays all they do, they kill them and they go dah jail spend a seven, twelve, fifteen years and that’s it, that dah it, that dah the end of the story right there and then deh yah the hurt. See his baby here, he noh even know his daddy dead, he noh even know that his daddy dead. How I could explain to him when he get bigger and say well, “K.J., you know your daddy mi deh somewhere and they cut your daddy dah his neck and they kill ah.” What my grandson wah seh? What can I say to my baby? So this is all what I left with him right now and I very, very hurt.”

Jacqueline Godwin for News Five.

Up to news time tonight, no arrests had been made in connection with the death of Kofi Beeks.