Pen knife murder at Cayo bar

Shaheem Slusher

There were two murders over the weekend; the first murder occurred in the west. Eighteen year old Shaheem Slusher, a construction worker from Gales Point Manatee, moved to San Ignacio seven years ago, but something went awfully wrong on Friday evening. At about six-thirty, his body was found behind the Pit Pan Bar in San Ignacio.  Slusher was reportedly involved in an argument which led to his murder.  About three hours after the murder, police arrested and charged thirty-one year old Brian Burke, of Esperanza Village. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Thirty-one year old Brian Burke is the man who following preliminary investigations by San Ignacio Police, has been arrested and charged for the brutal slaying of nineteen year old Shaheem Slusher. Burke was today taken to the San Ignacio Magistrate’s Court where he was arraigned for one count of murder.

Brian Burke

Supt Ralph Moody, O.C., San Ignacio Police Formation

“We detained one Brian Burke of an Esperanza Village address. Presently he is in custody.  Mister Slusher was stabbed two times and I must say that we also have the weapon at this moment.”

Duane Moody

“What was the weapon of choice?”

Supt. Ralph Moody

“It’s a knife; it’s a pen knife.”

The lifeless body of Slusher was discovered by police sometime around six-thirty Friday evening near the riverside across from the Pit Pan Bar, a popular watering hole in San Ignacio. By all accounts, Slusher and Burke were socializing moments before an altercation began. Burke allegedly then pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed Slusher to the neck and shoulder.

Supt. Ralph Moody

Ralph Moody

“Police received information of a fight around the Pit Pan Bar area located around the Welcome Center around the riverside. Police visited the area where they saw a lifeless body of a male person. Police conduct investigation into the matter and later found out that the male person was one Shaheem Slusher of a Gales Point manatee address. The scene was process and the body was transported to the San Ignacio Hospital where it was pronounced dead on arrival.”

Aleida Trujillo, Close Family Friend

“When I reached home a little after eight, I heard the unfortunate news that Shaheem, they had killed him and it was very shocking to all of us because he was around here a lot and it was very sudden.  We heard that he got into a little confrontation with some guy and somehow they stabbed him to the throat; that’s all I heard for that night.”

Aleida Trujillo

Duane Moody

“Do you know what led to that?”

Aleida Trujillo

“People were saying some confrontation about some young girl. And when we heard the story it was because he was asking some girl to go buy for him.”

But while police have confirmed that the murder was as a result of “hard talk” between the two, they also believe that quick response led to the detention of Burke within hours of the killing. The weapon was also recovered.

Supt. Ralph Moody

“We had the assistance of all police officers in this area. As well, we communicated with Mister Burke and he decided to hand himself in. we are grateful for his assistance and that is the reason why we came up with the quick arrest of Mister Burke.”

Duane Moody for News Five.