Police have formally arrested and charged Steven Flores, 37, with the murder of George Brown. Flores is accused of fatally stabbing Brown in the early hours of January 8 over a jacket, which made Brown the second murder victim of 2025.
Witness Luke Castillo said that while on their way to Brown’s house, Flores approached them in an aggressive manner. “They were close, close in a fistfight, di throw fist. I didn’t see the moment when he hauled out the knife and stabbed my cousin and all. I didn’t see the moment when he haul out da knife.” Castillo added that Brown attempted to run towards his house but collapsed on his way.
Police reportedly arrived at the scene and encountered a group of Brown’s family and friends confronting Flores. Despite warning shots, Flores armed himself with a machete and chased the group.
The third murder has been recorded in the Old Capital. Details are still forthcoming, but we are told that a man was fatally shot on Amandala Drive.
According to a witness, a late-model Ford SUV came under heavy gunfire. Twelve bullet holes visible on the driver’s side window were observed. The incident happened in the area of the St. Martin de Porres Primary School compound, fortunately before schoolchildren were dismissed.
When police arrived, the vehicle was locked, prompting them to break the left rear passenger window with a rock.
George Brown was fatally stabbed by his 37-year-old brother-in-law in Hopkins Village following a dispute over a jacket. The family reported that the incident unfolded just before 8 o’clock in the morning. They also said that Brown was only days away from celebrating his nineteenth birthday.
News 5 spoke with one of Brown’s family members, Jaden Rubio, who said he had left Brown at his house moments before the incident happened. “My cousin approached him nicely and asked him for his jacket. And he [Flores] didn’t want to give my cousin his own jacket.
“My cousin gets a little bit upset. Not knowing the other guy had a knife on him. That’s when my cousin tried to protect himself, and my little brother tried to protect two of them, and he ended up grabbing my cousin, and he ended up stabbing my cousin,” Rubio added.
According to Luke Castillo, he saw the altercation happen right before his eyes. Brown and Castillo were reportedly heading to Brown’s house when they were approached by Steven Flores in an aggressive manner. Castillo told News 5, “They were close, close in a fistfight, di throw fist. I didn’t see the moment when he hauled out the knife and stabbed my cousin and all. I didn’t see the moment when he haul out da knife.” Castillo added that Brown attempted to run towards his house but collapsed on his way.
When police arrived at the scene to arrest the Flores, the officers reported seeing a group of friends confronting Flores for the murder of Brown. Despite warning shots from police, the situation escalated as Flores armed himself with a machete and chased the group.
A fast-moving fire that erupted in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday night has raved through iconic Los Angeles landmarks as firefighters battled three other major blazes that have killed five, displaced 130,000 people, and devastated communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena.
Belizeans in the area have also been affected by this devastating fire that officials now call “the state’s largest wildfire” in its history.
This morning’s episode of Open Your Eyes featured a virtual call with two Belizeans residing in Los Angeles, California. Mirna Reneau, a member of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), stated that the fire has led to the temporary closure of UCLA.
“UCLA cancelled undergraduate classes due to the fire. Graduate students are remote. It’s moving fast and very devastating. 7,500 firefighters are working to contain it.” Reneau said. “The Belizean community is a huge population in the Los Angeles area; every Belizean at home or abroad knows of someone, either a relative, a friend, a colleague, an associate, or someone that is being affected by this fire. We have a lot of Belizeans that are care-givers and they work in these areas,” she added.
DJ Easy stated that he’s closer to Hollywood in the subcentral area and that the heavy smoke has blanketed over the outskirts of the fire. “When you wake up here, it’s like still nighttime. Still dark because of the smoke. You can smell it and feel it in your eyes.” He said that everybody is being advised to wear a mask as the fire continues to burn its way through many structures.
The Hollywood Hills fire has spread to major areas, including Pacific Palisades, with 1,000 homes destroyed. “The destruction is massive. The fires moved so fast, people had little time to escape,” said Fire Chief Chad Augustin from Pasadena.
Authorities are saying that the wildfires, worsened by high winds and dry conditions, have been exacerbated by climate change, extending California’s fire season. Wind gusts have been recorded to be as much as 80 mph, which has made the fire spread even faster.
Joaquin Antonio Cruz, a 31-year-old teacher from San Felipe Village, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a student multiple times. Cruz was employed at the Belize High School of Agriculture as the sports director, integrated science teacher, and physical education instructor.
News 5 has confirmed that Cruz was placed on administrative leave, as per the Ministry of Education’s protocols, after reports were made against him.
In December, police began seeking Cruz for questioning regarding the allegations made against him from one of his students. The student reported to the police on November 22, claiming that Cruz made inappropriate advances and offered better grades in exchange for a relationship. The student also mentioned additional incidents in October and November 2024.
Cruz is expected to appear in court in the coming days.
Farmers in San Carlos Village, Orange Walk, are in distress as they struggle to sell their bumper crop of carrots. German Tillett, UDP standard bearer for Orange Walk South, told News 5 that many farmers are unable to find buyers, leaving their produce unsold and rotting in the fields. Despite efforts to sell locally, they find the market overwhelmed with competition and lack sufficient wholesale buyers. The situation has led to financial losses as farmers are forced to sell at low prices to cover transportation costs.
Tillett pointed out the issue of imported Mexican carrots flooding the market, which further undercuts local prices. “We have enough carrots here to supply the whole country of Belize,” Tillett said. He added that the current import policy is harming local farmers. According to Tillet, the government’s attempt to address the problem through a mediator who buys carrots directly from farmers has proven ineffective, with no buyer willing to help take the crops off their hands.
At least 8 to 10 farmers in the area are facing significant challenges, with acres of carrots going to waste. The unbalanced competition with imported produce has Tillet urging for more support for the local produce farmers.
The Belize Diabetes Association (BDA) is inviting the public to participate in its “One Million Steps Challenge” to support healthier lifestyles in 2025. This initiative is designed to inspire weight loss, improve health, and reduce the risk of diabetes. It kicked off on January 2 and runs until April 16, 2025. The challenge aims to motivate individuals to stay active, with the added benefit of monthly prizes, surprises, and giveaways.
To join, participants need to scan two QR codes: one to register and the other to link to the StepUp app, where they can track their steps. “Every step you take counts,” the BDA encourages. The competition is open to everyone, including friends, family, coworkers, and schoolmates.
Winners, including the top male and female participants in different age groups, will be announced on April 17, 2025. The BDA hopes this initiative will inspire people to adopt more active lifestyles and boost their heart health, reduce stress, and improve their overall well-being.
“Let’s see where 1,000,000 steps will take you in 2025,” said BDA.
Step 1 is to click HERE to download the StepUp App to your mobile phone.
Step 2 is to use your mobile phone to scan the QR code or click HERE to join the challenge.
Step 3 is to register by filling out the form provided to qualify for prizes, surprises, and giveaways. The form can be found on BDA’s official website.
It’s not the kind of tragedy we hear about often, but this morning in Hopkins Village, a man fatally stabbed his young brother-in-law over a jacket. The incident happened sometime before eight. An eyewitness who was walking with the victim shared what he saw, while the victim’s sister recounted how the accused also tried to attack her when she rushed to help her brother. The situation escalated when the police arrived to detain the suspect. Friends of the deceased followed him to his yard, where he armed himself with a machete and chased after them, while the two police officers tried to regain control. News Five’s Marion Ali has more on this shocking incident.
Steven Flores
Marion Ali, Reporting
George Brown was just days away from celebrating his nineteenth birthday, but tragically, he didn’t make it. Early this morning, before eight, he got into a heated altercation with his brother-in-law, thirty-seven-year-old Steven Flores. Luke Castillo, George’s cousin, was walking with him and witnessed the entire incident.
Voice of: Luke Castillo
Voice of: Luke Castillo, Eyewitness
“On our way to George house, we di come right out ya weh ih happen we di walk come down this lane and as we about fi reach the back lane, ih see the guy weh got ih jacket, ih bra-lee di come riding pahn wa bicycle, but ih look like fi he bra-lee done come with intention, you know. So when he see we, he just jump offa fi he bicycle and raise fi he bicycle and throw it after my cousin and hit ah eena ih face. And my cousin stagger back bout three feet, you know. And that da weh mek my cousin get vex and charge into ah and give ah bout two punch. You know, so them mi deh close, close in a fist fight di throw fist. I nuh see the moment when he haul out da knife and stab mi cousin and all. Nuh see the moment when he haul out da knife. When they done fight, all weh I see – my cousin run weh towards fi he house, but ih never did reach home. He collapse by one ah ih auntie house.”
Castillo shared that George Brown had stopped by just a few minutes earlier, mentioning that he had spotted Steven Flores wearing his jacket. When George asked Flores for it back, things quickly escalated into an argument.
Voice of: Luke Castillo
“He tell me he bra-lee got fi he jacket and he bra-lee nuh want give he ih jacket. Only that he tell we. From deh da convo stop. We just di chill and from deh we decide fi tek a walk by fi he house, the deceased, George house.”
The two cousins were on their way to Brown’s house for their usual morning coffee when they ran into the accused, who confronted Brown. Evril Kelly, the victim’s sister and the common-law wife of the accused, shared with News Five that in the eight years she has lived with Flores, he has struggled with anger management issues. However, she never imagined things would spiral so drastically out of control.
Evril Kelly
Evril Kelly, Sister of Deceased
“Weh he do to my bredda is unforgiveable, unbelievable, like, I can’t believe it. I can’t believe my bredda dead, like my lee bredda dead by the person who I live with. This is my brother’s special jacket. He loves this jacket. I beg ah fi lend me this jacket fi goh da work. I goh da work four o’clock in the morning. So I beg him fi the jacket because ih di rain lately, soh I beg ah. I had to beg ah because he nuh want lend me. I beg ah and ih tell mi “nuh mek he wear my jacket.” That’s what my brother told me and this morning it was drizzling. I was supposed to wear the jacket this morning, but I forgot the jacket at home. You know, he don’t want angry person to kill somebody, I neva expect that.”
But the violence didn’t stop there. Evril’s younger sister, Shanice Kelly, shared that when she heard what had happened, she rushed to help her brother. Shockingly, the accused then tried to stab her as well.
Shanice Kelly
Shanice Kelly, Sister of Deceased
“When I got there my brother-in-law was still there with the knife in his hand like still angry, trying to attack me, my little sister, my cousin, you know, he was still not done.”
When the police arrived at the accused’s home to detain him, a group of Brown’s friends shouted at him in anger, furious over the fact that he had just killed their friend. This video shows the group following Flores, angrily accusing him of killing Brown. When Flores is heard admitting to it, the group runs after him, throwing rocks, while the police fired warning shots. The shots do nothing to calm the situation. Flores runs inside his house, grabs a machete, and comes out chasing the retreating group. All this unfolds in front of two police officers who never handcuffed Flores when they arrived. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shared what investigators have learned about the homicide.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I was made to understand from briefing is that this young man may have given a girl a jacket that belonged to him to use and he went out and he saw the jacket that he gave to the girl on another man and he went to retrieve the jacket from the other man and that resulted in a fight during which one of them was stabbed fatally. The police is looking at the matter now we’re treating as a murder at this time, unless there is some element of self-defense that he may raise, then the father then have to go to the DPP for directives.”
George Brown
Luke Castillo is heartbroken that his friend was taken so senselessly right in front of him today. His family is devastated, knowing that instead of celebrating his birthday, they now have to plan his funeral.
Voice of: Luke Castillo
“Every morning da wa daily routine, every morning we wa link up to my house and drink coffee. If I had creamer this morning da mi house, that nuh mi wa happen, to God. Just the other day, me and he gone pahn wa fishing tour, day before (yesterday) we gone pahn wa fishing tour, me, he and mi other cousin, happily, you know. We never know this mi wa happen, you know. We come in, we sell wi fish. Mein this really sad, mein. I really brokenhearted right now, mein. I really down; I can’t believe it.
Shanice Kelly
“We normally have dinner, bake, cook, have dinner as a family. That’s what we normally do. That’s what we were going to do next week, you understand, and then now instead of planning his birthday, we have to plan a funeral. (Sighs)”
For the second year in a row, the Belize Police Department is celebrating a murder rate below one hundred victims. In 2024, eighty-nine murders were recorded, a slight increase from the eighty-seven in the previous year. Today, the Belize Police Department presented the 2024 crime statistics, using data from the CompStat report. According to the report, major crime is down by sixteen percent, despite the slight increase in murders. Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams provided more details on the findings.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Overall we had a reduction of sixteen percent in major crime and a slight increase in homicide or murders. In other words, murders went from eighty-seven 2023 to eighty-nine 2024. Overall major crime for 2024 was, currently is one thousand and seventy-five. So Eastern Division accounted for a decrease of twenty-four percent in major grade, when compared last year. So 2023 also, Eastern Division represented eighteen percent reduction in homicide. And I can say to you that 2024 is the only year in history. I could recall where Eastern Division does not account for more than half of the country’s murder count. In other words, of the eighty-nine murders committed in 2024, Eastern Division had thirty-nine, which is less than half.”
Kareem Musa
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“I am satisfied, specifically with the performance of our police department in the second half of 2024. The first half, as you would recall, we had a sharp increase in the number of domestic murders, I believe for the first time in a long time, domestic-related murders or crimes of jealousy, so to speak actually were more, I think eighteen in 2024 compared to gang related murders, which were seventeen in 2024. And so that is of great concern and. The importance of meeting a session like this with COMPSTAT is not just to review the last quarter of 2024, but all of 2024 to see how much we can better, uh, the strategies, uh, that we formulate moving into 2025.”
At today’s presentation of the 2024 CompStat report, which tracks crime trends in specific regions, a significant drop in crime was noted for the Eastern Division. This decrease played a big role in the overall reduction of major crimes last year. Some may remember that 2024 saw a worrying number of murders, leading the police to declare a state of emergency. Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shared insights into what other factors contributed to this impressive reduction in crime in the eastern region.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“We always want to keep it below one hundred this year. It might be wishful thinking, but one day I want to see it go below fifty murders. I know that we can’t prevent all crimes, especially crimes of passion, that the police are not going to be at the scene for something like that but certainly we can see where the second half of 2024 proved to us that peace is possible. particularly in the Eastern Division, where we saw a remarkable reduction overall, not just in homicides, but also in major crimes. And so that is what we’re utilizing these numbers in creating our strategies for 2025.”
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“There’s a lot that we did in Eastern Division in 2024. We sent in additional resources from SPU and MIT. The GI3 were tasked to look at certain things. We have the LIU that do run those programs with the youths and we do have. And we do have brother Nuri and Footy Gongora who meets twice weekly with those persons who were under the last SOE and, the commanders on the ground, Mr. Romero. And Senior Superintendent Dehanne Augustin, who is the commander of Division one, because Division one is the area that has that decrease. I believe they did an exceptional job along with two precinct commanders, Mr. Pat and Mr. Mendez, who commands Precinct one and Precinct two. But most importantly, I think that we need to give credit to the foot soldiers, the constables and the carpers and the sergeants who hit the pavements every day they are the ones who ensured that our policing plan was fully implemented and that we get the results that we received at the end of the year.”
