That stabbing incident left one woman hospitalized in stable condition, while her alleged attacker faced court today. Twenty-six-year-old Erynne Belezaire was charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm for allegedly stabbing Chelsea Lewis on Friday at Digi Park on Newtown Barracks. Reports say Lewis and four friends were socializing at the Thursday Thirsty Nightclub before walking to the nearby park. There, they were approached by two other women, including Belezaire, and an argument broke out, escalating into violence. During the fight, Belezaire allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Lewis multiple times in the face and body. Today, Belezaire appeared in court without a lawyer and pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was granted bail in the sum of one thousand, five hundred dollars, plus one surety of the same amount, which she met. Under the bail conditions, she must not interfere with Lewis or her family and must stay at least one hundred yards away from Lewis. Belezaire’s next court date is set for June sixteenth, 2025.
Month: April 2025
Was Luis Marin’s Murder an Act of Retaliation?
On Friday, police confirmed that twenty-four-year-old Luis Marin, who was gunned down in Belize City, was wanted for questioning in relation to the Belmopan shooting incident. On April fifth, several men were captured on CCTV footage scrambling out of a car as a slew of bullets were fired in their direction from a gunman in a nearby vehicle. While no lives were lost, one passenger, Jamal Hyde, was injured. Three days later, Marin would be fatally shot in Belize City. Following the incident, two men have been arrested and charged. ACP Hilberto Romero has more details on the arrest.
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“Referenced the murder of Luis Marin that occurred at Pinks Alley. Police this weekend, arrested and charged Scorian Stuart and Michael Gillett jointly for the crime of murder.”
Reporter
“Was this indeed in retaliation?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes. That is the information we have received. It’s retaliation for that incident.”
Reporter
“Were the two men who are arrested in the vehicle in the for Belmopan incident?”
Hilberto Romero
“No, we don’t have information that they were in that vehicle.”
Reporter
“What connection do they have to the injured person from that shooting?”
Hilberto Romero
“They had some interaction with those persons and that is what led to this murder.”
Reporter
“Were they laywaitiing Mr. Marin like following him around?”
Hilberto Romero
“No. Well, he was at that area in a house when he was targeted. He was inside a house at the time.”
Reporter
“So was Marin believed to be one of the people in the car that had the shooter?”
Hilberto Romero
“Well, he at the time was wanted for questioning regards to that shooting. So that is all information.”
Reporter
“Are the two men who have since been arrested and charged, known to police?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes. There are known.”
Reporter
“Would you be able to tell us about the affiliation, what group they may have been involved with?”
Hilberto Romero
“I will not provide that information, or an investigation was carried out when they were charged.”
Reporter
“Have police were able to detain all the other ones in suspects in that investigation?”
Hilberto Romero
“Persons were detained, interviewed, so far no one else has been arrested for any of the incident.”
Two Men Charged for the Murder of Luis Marin
Tonight, two men are on remand at the Belize Central Prison following the murder of twenty-four-year-old Luis Marin, which occurred on April eighth, 2025. They are nineteen-year-old Scorian Stuart and twenty-three-year-old Michael Gillet, who were escorted before a magistrate in court this morning, where they were jointly read the single charge of murder for Marin’s death. Reports are that Marin had been socializing with a family member at a home in Pinks Alley when gunmen entered the home and fired in his direction. Police strongly believe his murder to be tied to the Belmopan shooting incident, which led to the injury of Jamal Hyde. Both men appeared unrepresented and were told that due to the nature of the offense, they could not be granted bail. Stuart and Gillett were remanded to the Belize Central Prison until their next court hearing on June ninth, 2025. Reports are that about an hour before his death, a close family friend of Marin’s sent one last text message asking him to be safe.
Elmer Nah’s Trinidadian Attorney Withdraws from Murder Case
Today, part two of the Case Management Conference for Elmer Nah, who is accused of a triple murder in Belmopan, took place. A surprising twist occurred when one of Nah’s attorneys withdrew from the case, leaving him with only one lawyer for his trial. Around 11:30 a.m., the matter was called up before Justice Nigel Pilgrim in the High Court. Only attorney Lynden Jones appeared in person; Trinidadian attorney Peter Taylor and his team did not show up, either in person or virtually. Justice Pilgrim raised the issue of Taylor’s withdrawal, and Jones confirmed he was aware of it, as the documents had been lodged with the High Court. Jones is now the sole attorney representing Nah. In his withdrawal letter, Taylor stated, quote, Mr. Nah expressed dissatisfaction with my representation at the CMC on April 1, 2025, and on that basis, I feel obligated to withdraw my service, end quote. Following this revelation, Jones made several applications to the court. His first application was to set aside time for voir dire in the last week of May. He argued that three separate voir dires are needed: one to determine if Vivian Ramnarace’s statement can be used as evidence, another for the video testimony of Ramnarace regarding the photo array, and a third for the video of the shooting, since the original video from the SD card has vanished. Jones’ second application requested a visit to the locations related to the case: the house where the shootings occurred, Nah’s house, and the alleged pig farm where Nah claimed to be on the night of the murders. Justice Pilgrim agreed and instructed both sides to create a list of all areas to be visited. Jones’ third application was to subpoena ASP Dervin Sambula, now a Magistrate, and ACP Alford Grinage to testify for the defense. His fourth application asked for the video of the shooting to be enhanced by the Government of Belize. Special Prosecutor Terrence Williams from Jamaica said he would seek guidance on this matter. Jones’ fifth and final application requested a transcript of the photo array video, as the defense believes there are discrepancies between the crown’s statement and the video. Justice Pilgrim agreed that the transcript would assist the court, and Williams assured he would seek further assistance. Elmer Nah was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until May 16, 2025, when the final part of the Case Management Conference will occur. The first voir dire is scheduled for May 26-29, 2025, and the trial is tentatively set to begin on June 6, 2025.
Belize Receives Integrated Digital Firearms Registration Management System
Belize’s Ministry of Home Affairs is taking significant steps to manage small arms and light weapons, addressing both national security and regional stability. This initiative is crucial as the country faces challenges related to the proliferation of illicit firearms, which fuel violence and crime. Collaborating with CARICOM IMPACS and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Belize is working to enhance its capabilities in controlling and securing these weapons. CARICOM IMPACS supports regional efforts to combat the illicit trade of small arms, while MAG provides technical assistance and training to improve stockpile management. Together, these partnerships aim to reduce armed violence and promote safety across Belize and the Caribbean.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board recognizes that the management of small arms and light weapons is not solely a matter of national security. It is a cornerstone of regional stability, rule of law, and international cooperation. As such, we have taken deliberate and strategic action to ensure that our national frameworks align with key instruments such as the CARICOM Declaration on Small Arms and Light weapons, the Arms Trade Treaty, and the United Nations Program of Actions on Small Arms and Light Weapons. This newly integrated digital system, supported by CARICOM Impacts and the Mines Advisory Group is more than a technological innovation, it is a policy instrument that enables us to strengthen compliance with the modular small arms control implementation compendium and international ammunitions technical guidelines standards.”
The US Government’s Role in Preventing the Spread of Small Arms
The US government is playing a pivotal role in managing small arms and light weapons to enhance regional stability in Belize and the wider Caribbean. Collaborating with CARICOM IMPACS and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), the US is providing crucial support to control the spread of illicit firearms, which fuel violence and crime. Through initiatives like the Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) program, the US is helping to secure weapon stockpiles, train local authorities, and destroy excess arms. These efforts are vital for reducing armed violence and promoting safety across Belize and the Caribbean.
David Hodge, Charge d’Affairs, US Embassy
“The proliferation of small arms and ammunition undermines regional stability, fuels organized crime and drives illegal immigration, challenges that directly impact the safety of both Belizeans and Americans. In tackling these issues we are advancing our own national security and, as Secretary Rubio has noted, the security of our shared hemisphere. The United States is committed to addressing these challenges head-on, providing the Belize Firearms Licensing Board with this digital firearms registry system is a crucial step in this fight.”
Callixtus Joseph, Assistant Director, Policy, Strategy & Innovation
“Today marks a significant milestone in Belize’s ongoing journey to modernize and digitize its firearms governance architecture and strengthen its firearms registration and licensing system. On January second of this year, the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board of Belize formally requested CARICOM Impact’s support to address critical gaps in Belize’s firearms control architecture. In response, our team at CARICOM Impacts, in collaboration with the Mines Advisory Group, and with the general support of the United States government rapidly mobilized technical, operational, and strategic resources. Within days, consultations were held and by March, a comprehensive support package was mobilized and today, just over three months later, we have transitioned from request to delivery.”
Planning for Sustainability in Belizean Waters
This morning, the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute hosted its second Belize Sustainable Ocean Plan Geo-Spatial workshop. This three-day event gathers stakeholders to discuss priority ocean protection areas using specific data collection tools. It is a continuation of the Multi-sector Marine Spatial Planning Workshop hosted in 2024. News Five’s Britey Gordon has more details on the event.
Belize’s ocean space is crucial for the survival of many sectors, including tourism, fishing, and conservation. Protecting these shared waters is essential. Today, the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute started a geospatial workshop to help stakeholders identify priority areas for protection and understand how ocean space is used.
Samir Rosado, MSP Lead, CZMAI
“The purpose of the workshop is to look at the use and application of two decision support tools that we’re using in our MSP development process. The two tools that we’re looking at are namely Sea Sketch and Marxan. Now Sea Sketch is more of a data collection tool as well as a planning tool so it’s multifaceted. Sea Sketch is what we’re utilizing to capture information from the general public, from users of our ocean space to figure out exactly where our priority areas are for the various usages.”
The team wants to make sure that areas used for recreation and religious activities are included in the data collection, so people aren’t displaced. Data collection tools are crucial for this. At the workshop, there’s a team from the University of California, Santa Barbara, who developed the Sea Sketch Application. Senior Fellow Will McClintock explains how it works.
Will McClintock, National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis, UC Santa Barbara
“It’s a tool that allows users who can be non-technical users, average stakeholders with no real expertise in, in mapping to map their values in terms of what areas in the ocean they value and how they use it, and then what areas they would like to protect and protected areas or biodiversity protection zones. So my team is here to teach folks how to use this tool and ultimately design biodiversity protection zones that are meeting science and policy guidelines for ecosystem protection while minimizing the displacement of users of ocean space.”
Sea Sketch is accessible to anyone with internet access and lets users add data to a map, showing popular areas and their uses. Another tool at the workshop is Marxan, which helps with marine spatial planning. Kate Longley-Wood, Marine Spatial Planning Science Manager at The Nature Conservancy, explains that the team is figuring out how to integrate the collected data into their technical tools.
Kate Longley-Wood, Marines Spatial Planning Science Manager, T.N.C.
“Marxan is a tool that lets users put in information about priorities for conservation. So Marxan can let users say, okay, I want a marine protected area network that represents. It’s thirty percent of coral reefs and maybe also integrates other stakeholder concerns, like avoiding areas that might have high levels of conflict or high levels of cost. And so this program is really good at taking really complex criteria and turning it into outputs that people can then understand and comment on. And so it’s a really great process that is used for Marie spatial planning processes around the world.”
Samir Rosado
“That thirty percent goal is tied to two milestones that are time-bound deliverables under the blue bond agreement. Recently in November fourth of last year, we met the milestone four goal, which is to designate twenty-five percent of Belize’s ocean space as a biodiversity protection zone. So that was met in November of last year. So we are currently at twenty point zero five percent of our ocean space designated the remainder of the timeframe, or I should say the next milestone is due for November fourth of next year. And so we are working towards identifying and designating the remaining up to forty percent.”
Britney Gordon For News Five.
Stop Order Given to Cayo Rosario Development
Placencia Tour Encounters Whale Shark in Gladden Spit Reserve
A group of tourists in the Gladden Spit Reserve had an unforgettable experience. Over the weekend, the Sea Horse Dive Shop in Placencia took them to the reserve, where they came face-to-face with a whale shark, the largest fish in the world. Whale shark sightings are common in the reserve this time of year, as they are drawn by the seasonal spawning of snappers and groupers. Only licensed tour guides can enter the whale shark zone, and getting too close to the animal is prohibited. We spoke with Elizabeth Muschamp, Executive Director at the Southern Environmental Association, about the organization’s work in the Gladden Spit Reserve.
“I am aware but I am not surprised. Gladden Spit is a marine reserve that has three different zones and one of those zones is the conservation zone or what we know as our spawning aggregation site. This is one of the reason why Gladden Spit was designated as a marine reserve, for the protection of the spawning aggregation site because it is one of the site that has a significant multi-species fish spawning, snappers and groupers, different species that spawn in the area. So we monitor from June every year, but locally it is know that from March to June, the snappers are spawning more that groupers and that time the whale sharks will come. So they are seasonal and known to be sighted between March and June, sometimes all the way up to July. SO they are known to drawn to spawning event. The tour operators are aware that they are not suppose to come in contact with the shark. If you listen to one of the videos I saw you can clearly hear the tour operator saying to not touch. So they are aware, which is why it is very important that only operators who are licensed can operate in the zone because they know and understand what we are trying to protect. So, they will abide by the rules.”
Cycling Federation Working to Improve Female Participation
While the Cycling Federation of Belize has addressed these pressing concerns, there’s a bigger conversation happening about the future of female cyclists in Belize. With only ten registered female cyclists in the country, the federation is working to boost that number in the coming years. One of their strategies is to provide bikes for junior riders who are serious about both cycling and their studies. Here’s more from the federation.
Glenn Flowers, President, Cycling Federation of Belize
“We are trying to see how we can best enhance the female cycling for the next year. Presently we have about ten or so bikes that we are trying to get the females to come on board and start riding. The bikes are only to be given to females that are attending school and what to participate in the classics.”
Leticia Westby, Secretary General, Cycling Federation of Belize
“Our goal is to try to partner with the Ministry of Sports to get them to support us and through primary and high school to integrate cycling as a sport in similar fashion to basketball and volleyball, football competition, to incorporate cycling. This is one of the sport that has been around for ninety-seven years and we are heading to an hundred and it is not integrated in schools. It is one of the more demanding sport that keeps kids engaged.”