Police officer killed in Roaring Creek; 3 detained
The Police Department is mourning the loss of one of their own. Jealousy is believed to have led to the murder of the well-known police officer attached to the Belmopan Precinct. It happened on Tuesday night in Roaring Creek when Constable Bertchel Ramirez had gone to see his girlfriend; a routine visit that was apparently known to the gunmen. Four men ambushed him in the dead of the night; three have been detained so far. Duane Moody was in Roaring Creek today and found that that one of the suspects has children with Ramirez’s girlfriend.
ASP Sinquest Martinez, O.C., Belmopan Police Sub-formation
“A very dedicated officer. He has been working here for the past six to seven years; so he is no stranger to us.”
Duane Moody, Reporting
A dedicated officer… Tragedy has hit the Police Department and their flags are being flown at half mast. Shortly after eleven on Tuesday night, thirty-six year police constable Bertchel Ramirez, better known by his middle name Eyon, was fatally shot. Ramirez had just retired from working extra-duties at The Mall on the Hummingbird Highway and had gone to visit his girlfriend in the Another World Area in Roaring Creek Village.
Voice of: Lazarus Valencia, Father in Law of Deceased
“Dah poor bwai parked here, quarter passed eleven; come from ih work dah The Mall. Pick up my daughter every night ker dehn home. Next my lee daughter come home, spend the evening and back again. But last night was such a bad lucked night. Two shots went out first whilst the bwai park right dah my gate yah. The poor bwai addressed that and ih gone fi see.”
But it was a set up and Ramirez was ambushed by three additional men who it is believed lay-waited him behind this culvert at the end of the street. A barrage of bullets, over a dozen, was fired in his direction; Ramirez was hit multiple times to the body and head and was slouched over the right side in his vehicle.
ASP Sinquest Martinez
“Investigations shows that he went to visit a female friend in said area and while there, shots were fired and he was on his way out and when he reached an intersection three persons were at the intersection where he was fired upon. He received gunshot wounds to his leg, shoulder and head.”
“Dehn attack the poor bwai and over fifteen shots or twelve shots more or less gone off at that moment.”
Duane Moody
“So four persons…”
Voice of: Lazarus Valencia
“Four persons were involved in this thing yah. And these four; God dah wah wonderful man; ih wah ketch them and the police wah ketch dehn and I want they deal with them the right way.”
But it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity as Ramirez attackers approached the vehicle to ensure that he was dead.
Voice of: Lazarus Valencia
“The three person weh walk in, three ah dehn run up to the car to see if the person dead, completely dead. Then three take to the back of the bush—noh actually bush, to the houses them—and then one went up the road. And dah right dehn which all the crowd rush dehn. The person died ina my daughter hands. All weh I do, I put my hand pan ih chest and I tell ahn, god will be with you my bwai and but who do you this noh got foot fi run because dehn wah ketch dehn.”
And shortly after the incident, Police detained two persons, who are no strangers to the law. They are looking for two others known to them. And according to Officer Commanding the Belmopan Police Sub-station, Assistant Superintendent Sinquest Martinez, the motive appears to be jealousy.
ASP Sinquest Martinez
“As far as we know, the suspect and my officer are not colleagues, are not friends. But apparently the friend that he went to see had two children for one of the suspects.”
Several nine millimeter expended shells as well as a magazine containing live rounds were recovered from the scene and police investigations continue into the homicide of constable 380 Ramirez. Duane Moody for News Five.
Also in the west, a police officer was injured in a traffic accident and is critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Police Constable Andy Tun was riding a police motorcycle when he was hit by a pickup truck driven by Gail Wells of the Yalbac area. The accident happened on Tuesday evening when Tun was riding on Center Road in Spanish Lookout. Tun ended under the vehicle and suffered severe head and body injuries and was transported to the KHMH. Wells has been detained pending traffic offenses.
A terrible day for the police.
As for the murder, let’s hope the police get the investigation right, and the DPP doesn’t stumble, so we can beat the odds and win a conviction.
All the people involved in the murder deserve DEATH. No mercy, no exceptions. If that punishment cannot be accomplished within the law, then it needs to be done outside the law.
second police attack in 2 days-they need to get the message-that attacks against those who protect us will not be tolerated-and we are ready to allow for police to do whatever they need to do-not what human rights think they should pat on wrist and go to kolbe to be reformed until aquittal. Last night it was underwood running over 2 cops on a scooter-now this-put a stop to it police and show them who’s the boss.
This is a sad story to read. It is beyond me why our laws are so outdated to deal w/ the crimes of today. If we don’t change them, then expect more of this to happen because the criminal elements are aware that there are no consequences for them to pay for their actions from the broken criminal system. These culprits if proven guilty, needs to be dealt w/ in such a way that others would think twice to follow. An example needs to be made; the GOB needs to send a stern message that this type of crime will not go unpunished.
This happens when the police department gets corrupt like this pm and gov. The people get fed up with the corruption going on .
To kill a man because a woman prefers another man over you is so ridiculous. Killing in Belize is made so much easier because there is no penalty. Spending time in prison is not the right sentence for such a vicious and calculated murder plan. These murderers have to know that If I kill, I may loose my life also, I believe this would make them think first.
Where is the assembly why are they not talking about how to curb this violence that is upon the country. Re-enact the death penalty. I cannot imagine sitting down with friends and planning to kill someone and not have one of the others say no that is not the way, what has happened to our people?
How sad is this, they new as a good police man he will respond to the shot fired, and they ambushed and kill him without mercy, I hope the law deal with them properly. by the way they talk about him, he seem to have been a good officer all witness please come forward so this criminals can be put up for good.
what is wrong with this men and women in they want to hold on to their man or women even if the next one says to let go. Pure none sense.
It is said in most countries, ” when you kill a cop, there is no hole to hide in”. I hope and pray that the same is true in the Jewel.
A stern message has got to be sent to the crimminal elements in the land. Three, four people went and shot up an Officer of the law? That’s murder and, a conspiracy to commit murder.
In my book and the law books of the country, that’s the death penalty. Anything less would be sending the wrong signals and would be embolding these animals.
I respect @ Als’ comment to the uttermost
Rama….you were a good boy….may you rest in peace. Was fun to have known you. Frig…I still can’t believe this. Condolences to his family. So sad. Hard working man.
The world is round. PC Ramirez is not as innocent as it may seem… presently he has a family still suffering from a stupid action he has taken while being intoxicated in his uniform.. the same way he died was the same way he attempted to take someone’s life but failed. and gjuess what? nothing has been done about it and PC Ramirez was very boastful of his actions…It has been a couple of years now but the damage and scar is still visible.He has basically taken away everything(except breath) from this person. There is a God and his day was yet to come. He is a chancy police and i can bet there is more to the story than just jealousy…i bet he was trying to use his force as a police officer to chance one of these men…anyways his time has expired and we are now at peace..im only sorry for his mom and children
I’m sorry they arrested them alive. If a suspected murderer doesn’t walk into the police station and surrender peacefully, he should be hunted like an animal. Trials don’t work, but police killings do.
We don’t need to re-enact the death penalty, that is still the law of our land. It is just ignored.
Every murderer should KNOW he is going to hang when caught. Appeals must be limited to Belizean courts, not sent out to foreigners in the Caribbean court.
A good cop is gone. It is sad to know that our country gone to hell. Mr Prime Minister plz do something. These murderers need to b executed or hang. They just ambushed this officer and executed him with out mercy. I hope they are dealt with d full extent of the law. May his soul rest in peace. U will b missed mr Ramirez.
I remember back in the days when I was a little girl,Norah Parham (female) was executed for killing a cop,her spouse. In those days,murder was taken seriously as it should be, especially an officer of the law.
Rod your an @$$$$$$$$$$$$
This was my good friend mein he was very courteous and he is a single father of two daughters all sake of a woman this is not worth it RIP Ram and May you rise in glory with the Lord the murderers you disgusting maggots May the Lord have mercy on your souls Pray you all go to jail and or be fed to sharks
It is time for our officials in the prosecution section to get their acts right and convict criminals. For too long we’ve been having poor conviction due to poor evidence. Let the guessing game stop with those political influenced and start the hanging. It is sad when innocent and hardworking individuals lose their lives due to lazy and jealous fools!
DPP, do the right thing and hang the convicts! Let the message be clear and reduce the rate of crime!
I remembered when he use to work at the prison he always made me smile with his jokes, never a day he wore a frown even when dealing with the inmates and some of them were real pain in the rare.
Tuesday I open channel 5 and one old school mate got shot and died, to add to that, another school mate tried to kill a policeman. Now, again I open up and it’s Mr. Ramierez. If I am not hearing about crime as shooting of another man or woman I am hearing about the molestation of kids.
I think I have lost more than half the males I went to school with and another half I know through my neighbourhood growing up on Faber’s Road.
I don’t don’t comment much and express how I feel about these things as common as some do because I am not living in Belize. I left Belize 8 years ago. I don’t contribute to my country, so I think I have no say in what happens and what should happen. If I wanted to make a difference I should have stayed and walk the streets and protest, even though I might be the only one protesting as I would be doing it for free.
So hear I am in France, reading all these horrible things that happens on a regular basis. I know one day when I wake up 8 hours ahead of Belize and mad at channel 5 for not updating the latest news, it might be a family member I would be reading about, I dread the moment.