Security guard killed for his gun in San Ignacio

Randy Casey

An employee from the Ministry of Works was released late this evening from police detention following a murder on Friday night in San Ignacio. Calvin Welch and a minor were both detained and questioned for the murder of Randy Casey. It happened at Kenny’s Store situated on Flamingo Avenue just before eight o’clock when fortunately there were no customers in the grocery store. Casey, a security guard, was on duty when he was shot on the chest and abdomen by a masked gunman who came from behind the store. When the injured Casey fell to the ground, the gunman seized his point twenty-two pistol and fled the area in a waiting vehicle. Casey was taken to the San Ignacio Hospital but had lost his life. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

A post mortem examination was carried out this afternoon on the body of Randy Casey, a twenty-three year old security guard whose life was abruptly taken while on duty on Friday night. Just before eight p.m., the employee of Force Security, was keeping watch at Kenny’s Store on Flamingo Avenue in San Ignacio Town when a masked gunman dressed in full black ran up to Casey and fired three shots hitting him twice to the left chest and lower abdomen.

Elroy Garbutt, Brother of Murder Victim

“When I came home from school, my aunt told me that my brother got shot. She said the police called and said he was critical. So I got the phone from my mom and I called back the police. But when I called them, they said they already called my mom and told her what happened. Little bit after that, his boss called and told me that if I heard what happened. I told him yes and I asked if they would have brought Randy down to Belmopan since they said he was just critical. He told me that they probably would have kept the body down there. So at that time I asked him if he was dead and he said yes.  He was at work and sometime between seven-thirty and eight, someone just came up to him and shot him as he was coming out of the store that he was working.”

As a badly injured Casey lay outside the establishment gasping for air, the gunman stole his point twenty-two pistol and fled the scene. The establishment was not robbed and it is believed that the gun was what the killer wanted.

Voice of: Ian Audinett, Co-worker of Murder Victim

“I decided to go back towards the scene. Upon arriving they had already taken the body from in front of the Chinese Store. So from what I’ve been told, the young man came from around the Chinese Store and fired about six shots. Earlier some of the neighbors who lived by said that they saw the guy lurking at the park; he was sitting and watching. They saw when he went around. The assailant took my co-worker’s firearm, a twenty-two pistol. It is a real wake-up call for all of us on the security force.”

Elroy Garbutt

Elroy Garbutt

“He didn’t have no problem with no one, but according to what police are saying, it is probably because of the gun they wanted.”

Duane Moody

“I understand your brother just started working with the Force Security.”

Elroy Garbutt

“Just a month he had with them and it was the first night he went to work with the gun.”

Calvin Welch

While police reports say that a sixteen year old has been detained pending investigation, thirty-three year old Calvin Welch, an employee with the Ministry of Works in Santa Elena was also detained on Saturday evening in connection with this latest homicide. Welch’s sister, Lajuana Gillett, says that while her brother willingly handed over himself, he is being wrongfully accused.

Lajuana Gillett, Sister of Detainee

Lajuana Gillett

“We have an alibi witness who is one of his co-workers who dropped him at home the said Friday night that this incident occurred approximately at the same time the police officers are claiming that this murder happened. And we can also get possession of his time card from his work proving the time that he stamped out from work the Friday night.  Sgt. Reyes, I can say it on the media—I’m not afraid to say it on the media—Sgt. Reyes does not like the ground my brother walks on. He does not like my brother.  A suburban with four officers in it, one of the Mahindra with four and one of the bicycle that they have there with two officers on it. The first two officers that came were Inspector Reyes and PC Requeña—they were on the cycle. They saw the truck taking my brother home. He went to work as per normal. He left his house at about six-thirty. He’s reaching back home from a normal work day.”

Casey, who would have celebrated his twenty-fourth birthday this coming Wednesday, leaves behind a six-month old daughter. Unconfirmed reports are that the murder weapon and Casey’s weapon has been recovered by police. Duane Moody for News Five.

Casey will be laid to rest later this week in his home village of Camalote.