Jealousy appears to be motive in city killing

Jealousy: It’s an emotion that all of us feel at various times in our life. Sometime jealousy turns to anger, even to the point of violence. And once in a while that violence turns fatal, as it did over the weekend in Belize City.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Following a six year stormy relationship forty-three year old Carol Rogers and fifty three year old Arthur Arnold separated. Rogers says she had gotten tired of Arnold?s drinking and abuse. For the past nine months Rogers has lived alone with her four children in this two bedroom house at number 186 Neal Penn Road. The family managed to get by and things seemed to be okay that is until Friday night when Arnold returned to the house armed with a knife. By the time it was all over Roger?s eldest son, Jermaine Arnold was barely alive and a family friend twenty-eight year old Randolph Gibson was also stabbed several times.

Carol Rogers, Mother of Deceased
?My son died at the age of nineteen, not even said a word to me when he got stab. He run out here and he collapsed. It happened in front of me and my daughter, my twelve year old daughter. Two of us went into shock, but my daughter was worse than me.?

According to Rogers around seven thirty that night they were all sitting in the living room watching television when Arnold, who appeared to be drunk, arrived at the house. Rogers says Arnold apparently had a problem with Gibson being at the residence and approached him as the younger man sat in this sofa.

Carol Rogers
?He tell Mr. Gibson to please leave the house, because every time he comes here, he meet Mr. Gibson sitting right here. So I reply to him and tell him like this, Mr. Arthur, please leave and tek a walk.?

Rogers says Arnold left but in a matter of minutes he was back.

Randolph Gibson, Stabbing Victim
?In like fifteen minutes and I didn?t expect it. That is why he inflicted the wound as he opened the door.?

According to Rogers as Arnold pulled opened the front screen door he turned out the lights. Then he started attacking Gibson and her son who was sitting in this small plastic chair. Gibson received several stab wounds to his upper body.

Randolph Gibson
?And when he came for the second one I knocked away his hand with the knife and that is how he caught me behind the neck. When he caught me behind the neck I swerved from him and through the door, because he came through the door and I went through the door as I got stabbed already.?

Carol Rogers
?He get two stab in the areas right here, one at his neck while my son got one stab here, and that is the stab that killed him.?

Young Arnold managed to make it out the house but collapsed at the foot of the front steps. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but died. Gibson remains in a critical but stable condition. But why would Arnold attack a family friend and his stepson? Rogers believes it is the result of vicious rumours that led Arnold to believe she was having a relationship with Gibson … an allegation she strongly denies.

Carol Rogers
?He believed that I am having an affair with the young boy. I just feel sick of this because I no which part to turn. I no have no help instead just try, all the people try to help right now people just the try to help.?

?The way how Mr. Arnold come, he was under the influence of liquor right. But the young man was no kind of problem or threat to him because the young man no tell him nothing when Mr. Arnold approached the young man.?

Randolph Gibson
?That relationship I don?t know about and I would never play with somebody that I have respect for. She could be my mother. The only reason I got to know her was because I got some clients on Penn Road, that I cut their yard and stuff, and that?s how I got to know her and then her son.?

As for her son? Rogers believe when Jermaine tried to stop Arnold from stabbing Gibson he too was attacked. Rogers says after the stabbings Arnold quickly left the house.

Carol Rogers
?He run out of my house because he was not living with me. He was not living here with me because me and him never had a good relationship. And from January of this year me and my four children were living here. He only come here in the evenings and bring me fifteen dollars for them for the so they can eat.?

Randolph Gibson
?Well the doctor says that I can?t do much talking and stuff because it will affect my heart. You know I got a serious problem and they are trying their best to help me out. All I want is justice, but I am so sad to see myself in this condition. But I need justice to come upon my side to help me get justice for this man to do his time for me and for his stepson.?

As Rogers get ready to bury her son, whose childhood pictures decorate her walls she says it will be difficult but knows she has to remain strong for her three other children.

Arthur Arnold has been charged with murder and attempted murder. At the time of the killing there was a restraining order in effect against him.