Derrick “Beng” Parham killed short distance from house
The two other murders over the weekend also remain under investigation. Just before ten on Saturday night, twenty five year old Derrick Parham was shot in the presence of his aunt and friends. Parham was walking on Currassow Street with the group when a car drove up and someone opened fire. One bullet caught Parham on the back causing the fatal injury. The family is still looking for answers but admits the first murder victim for the weekend, was no saint.
FOR VIDEO CLICK HERE: PARHAM MURDER
Duane Moody, Reporting
Just before ten on Saturday night, twenty-four year old Derrick Parham was walking home along with his aunt and some friends when upon reaching near Curassow and Iguana Streets, a lone gunman on the passenger side of a red car drove up from behind and fired a shot at him. “Beng,” as he was affectionately known, was killed just a block from where he lived on Curassow Street.
Andrea Rosales, Mother of Murder Victim
Andrea Rosales
“We were in the yard, we heard gunshots; the kids run out with their father, but we didn’t think anything of it because my son was at his aunt’s house. In the night, his aunt was coming home with him, his cousin and some other friends. And from what I heard, a red car just come slowly behind and the person push out his whole half of his body and fired two shots. The first one miss him and the other one catch him in his back.”
Duane Moody
“Where did this happen?”
Andrea Rosales
“Right on Curassow Street; just a couple houses down.”
Duane Moody
“So close to home?”
Andrea Rosales
“So close to home.”
According to the officer commanding precinct one of the Belize City police department, Parham is no stranger to the law. And about one hour before he was killed, he was searched by officers in the vicinity where he was killed.
Supt. Alden Dawson, Officer Commanding, Precinct 1, Belize City Police
Supt. Alden Dawson
“He received one single gunshot and during our investigation, we found out that the accused person came from a red car and fired one shot in the direction which caused the injuries to Mister Parham who is now deceased.”
Duane Moody
“Motive behind this murder?”
Supt. Alden Dawson
“Present we do not have any motive. As I said, we are still young into the investigation. The officers are out in the street doing what they do. And they won’t be able to give a motive until we reach somewhere in the investigation.”
Duane Moody
“Has anybody been detained for this crime?”
Supt. Alden Dawson
“To this point, there has been no detention in respect to this murder. Like I said, we are young into the investigation and the officers are out in the street working.”
While no one has been detained for his killing, his family says that Parham was no saint and had many enemies.
Andrea Rosales
“He had lot of enemies, but Derrick is someone like this….especially for his family, he comes out. if he hear someone is threatening his family, he is the one there. He was a loving son. Sometimes he gets on our nerves, but for someone to cut him down like that, he has a young baby four months old. It really hard. I always hear people complain that their family members get gunned down, but I didn’t know one day it would be me. Not yet.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
