South Carolina is set to execute a convicted murderer by firing squad today, marking the first use of the method in the United States in 15 years.
Brad Sigmon, 67, who was sentenced to death for the 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents, William and Gladys Larke, chose the firing squad over South Carolina’s other available execution methods—the electric chair and lethal injection. His legal appeals were exhausted on Wednesday when the state’s Supreme Court denied his final request for a stay of execution.
Sigmon will be strapped into a chair, hooded, and positioned before three volunteer marksmen who will fire live rounds from 15 feet away, aiming at a target over his heart.
His attorney, Bo King, argued that Sigmon faced an impossible choice, describing the firing squad as a method that would “break the bones in his chest and destroy his heart” while warning that lethal injection could result in a prolonged and agonising death.
Sigmon’s execution is set for 6 p.m. local time at the South Carolina Department of Corrections in Columbia.
Opposition to Sigmon’s execution has been mounting, including from Randy Gardner, whose brother, Ronnie Lee Gardner, was the last person executed by firing squad in the U.S. in 2010.
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) has partnered with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to advance a major sustainable livelihood initiative aimed at strengthening climate resilience and economic opportunities for Belizean communities.
As part of Component 2 of the Sustainable Livelihood Project, BELTRAIDE has been allocated BZD 744,500 to support the growth of nature-based enterprises. The funding will provide five community groups with business development training, technical assistance, and expanded market access to promote sustainable economic activities. This initiative aligns with Belize’s national strategy for climate resilience and sustainable development, particularly for communities dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods.
A key milestone in this collaboration was a meeting on February 27, 2025, between BELTRAIDE’s Executive Director, Ishmael Quiroz, and IICA’s Representative in Belize, Mauricio Guevara, to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU will formalise BELTRAIDE’s role in the project, ensuring structured support for community-based enterprises.
The project is financed by the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) through the Adaptation Fund’s Enhanced Direct Access initiative. It forms part of the Building Community Resilience via Transformative Adaptation project, which seeks to mitigate the impacts of climate threats such as droughts, water scarcity, floods, and wildfires.
Belizean American Andre Gray has filed a defamation lawsuit in the High Court of Belize against veteran journalist Jules Vasquez and Channel 7 Media House, which is operated by Tropical Vision Limited. The claim, lodged on December 23, 2024, alleges that Vasquez published defamatory content about Gray through television broadcasts and social media posts, which were aired nationally and viewed internationally.
According to the claim, the defamatory statements were initially aired between January 13 and 15, 2023, and were later rebroadcast on December 30 and 31, 2023. The lawsuit states that these broadcasts have continued into 2024, allegedly damaging Gray’s reputation on a global scale.
Gray, who is described in the legal documents as an independent computer software developer, author, and inventor, is seeking damages, including aggravated and punitive damages, as well as an injunction to prevent further publication of the alleged defamatory statements. He claims that other media houses followed Channel 7’s lead, further injuring his reputation.
The lawsuit also seeks special damages, legal costs, and any other relief the court deems just. Additionally, Gray is requesting an injunction to prevent Vasquez and Channel 7 from making similar statements in the future.
Gray is being represented by his brother, attorney Ian Gray. We are told that similar legal action will be taken against RSV Limited/Love News.
Brent Tombs escaped legal action after deleting his Facebook post on the matter, apologising and settling out of court.
Gray says he is credited with over 16 globally recognised inventions and has authored more than 10 books.
Gray’s legal team argues that the defamatory statements were made with malice and intended to discredit him. However, the defendant’s attorneys, Godfrey Smith SC, Edgar Lord, and Hector Guerra, argue that there is no evidence to substantiate Gray’s claim. They say that the station presented factual information and raised legitimate questions about Gray’s awards.
The 2025 La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge kicked off with a thrilling yet chaotic start this morning. Though the official start time was 7 a.m., eager paddlers jumped the gun, paddling off from under the Hawksworth Bridge before the horn sounded. This premature departure led race organisers to call for a restart, but by that time, many competitors had already ventured far down the river. The race was officially underway at 8 a.m. after everyone returned to the start line.
The four-day, 175-mile journey from San Ignacio to Belize City began with participants facing strong currents and testing their endurance. The defending champions, Guava Limb, are among the top contenders, with their manager expressing confidence in their team’s performance.
The Belize Tourism Board shared their excitement over social media, stating, “The 2025 Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge is officially underway! At the break of dawn, the energised teams set off from the Hawksworth Bridge in San Ignacio, heading to today’s finish line at Banana Bank.” The race continues to capture the spirit of adventure and competition in Belize.
A commuter bus travelling from Lord’s Bank to Belize City overturned on the Philip Goldson Highway near mile six and a half this morning at around 6:30. The accident, involving a Central Transit bus, injured approximately thirty passengers, who were quickly transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). Reports indicate there were no fatalities, and all victims are reported to be in stable condition.
In a statement on Facebook, KHMH expressed gratitude for the swift response of their staff, many of whom were not scheduled for duty. “This RTA produced 30-plus patients at our Accident and Emergency with varying degrees of injury, prompting our staff to spring into action as ONLY WE CAN!” said KHMH in a social media post.
Images from the scene revealed injured passengers, including distressed children, as emergency responders assessed the situation. Police officers were also seen on-site, managing the aftermath of the accident.
Though the bus was later flipped back over, the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
You heard right! Channel 5 is launching its full-length and televised Spanish-language newscast, Noticiero 5 Semanal. Starting today, viewers can tune in every week at 7:00 p.m. to catch top local and international stories of the week, from politics to culture, all presented in Spanish by the news presenter Franzella Hermoso.
Producing the newscast is Digital Editor Hipolito Novelo; he says Noticiero 5 Semanal is a long-awaited initiative aimed at directly serving the country’s Spanish-speaking communities. “According to the 2022 census by the SIB, 75% of the population speaks English, 54% speak Spanish, so that means that some people might feel more comfortable consuming news in Spanish, especially in areas where it is the dominant language,” he said.
“To our knowledge, this will be the first televised Spanish newscast with a nationwide impact. This station is once again leading the way,” Novelo said. “The goal isn’t just to translate the news but to ensure that Spanish-speaking communities are represented in the stories we cover.”
The newscast will focus on a range of issues, including politics, social developments, culture, and daily life. Its introduction follows News 5’s shift toward an integrated newsroom with a digital-first approach. “Our Spanish news is a continuation of this transformation,” Novelo explained. “We aim to keep people informed, not only through their preferred medium but also in their preferred language. With over half of Belize’s population speaking Spanish, this is a natural step forward.”
While other languages like Creole and Garifuna are also spoken in Belize, Novelo pointed out that Spanish is the second most widely used language in the country. “In some areas, there are more Spanish speakers than English speakers. The latest census confirmed this, and we are simply expanding our reach to ensure inclusivity.”
Novelo pointed out that the soft launch of this new product has received “overwhelming support” from viewers, with “comments on social media showing that this is something that the viewers wanted and needed for many years. People want to see themselves reflected in the news, and this newscast gives them that space.”
The team at Channel 5 is encouraging supporters to reach out with any story idea, report, or news they would want to see aired in Noticiero 5 Semanal every Friday at 7 in the night, just after the 6:00 p.m.’s traditional newscast airs.
Viewers are welcomed to reach out to the tip line at 672-5555. Tune in tonight on Noticiero 5 Semanal, and every Friday, at 7:00 p.m. on TV, YouTube, Facebook, and even on TikTok (@noticiero5semanal).
Orange Walk police are investigating the murder of fifty-one-year-old taxi driver Romualdo Vasquez, who was stabbed to death on Wednesday night. The incident happened around 8:30 PM on West San Martin Street, not far from a new police substation in Trial Farm Village. Police are still figuring out the motive and are exploring a few possibilities as they try to find the killer. Meanwhile, the murder has deeply affected his fellow taxi drivers at the bus terminal taxi stand. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Edward Garnett
Edward Garnett, Friend of Deceased
“Ih shock mi last night actually. Wa next taxi driver call mi. I mi done deh eena bed already and the taxi man call mi and seh, “Boy, hear weh happen, such and such incident, noh.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Food vendor Edward Garnett and Romualdo Vasquez had been friends for years, but on Wednesday night, that friendship was tragically cut short. This is the fence on West San Martin Street in Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk, where the Volkswagen Jetta driven by Romualdo Vasquez crashed after being stabbed in the throat. The fifty-one-year-old taxi driver was reportedly taking the passenger to a location in the area when he was fatally injured. After being attacked, Vasquez tried to get out of the vehicle but collapsed and died. Today, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams shared what investigators have learned so far about the incident.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Police were called to this area late last night or early this morning. Upon arrival, they encountered a vehicle that crashed, I think into a building or a tree, and inside the vehicle was the lifeless body of a male person that exhibited stab wounds. The body was taken to the hospital where it was pronounced dead on arrival. Information so far is that the deceased was in the company of some person in the same vehicle and that person may have inflicted the injuries to him and then flee the vehicle and went about his business. So, police are currently actively investigating that matter with a view to see if we’ll be able to identify the person who flee from the vehicle after the incident occurred.”
Investigators are uncertain what preempted the fatal stabbing.
Chester Williams
“It can either be a case of robbery or a case of maybe two friends arguing. We don’t know who the person is that was in the vehicle with him at the time he escaped. So, we’ll have to find out who that person is that we’ll be able to arrive at a more definitive motive.”
Marion Ali
Is anything missing?
Romualdo Vasquez
Chester Williams
“I don’t think so.”
Police later found the suspected murder weapon, a stainless-steel knife, after canvassing the area. Edward Garnett told News Five that he thinks the killing might have been a robbery and urged for more surveillance cameras in key areas.
Edward Garnett
“Yoh nuh know who da who. Maybe they never get a chance to take the man’s belongings – the lee bit ah money weh ih work hard fa.”
Marion Ali
“Do you think it was a robbery?”
Edward Garnett
“I believe ih cudda be a robbery because things tough right now, you know, but we need to put some more security out on corners and so like cameras, ih help wa lot.”
Garnett said that he counted on Vasquez’s taxi service to transport his food to the bus terminal where they both worked.
Edward Garnett
“He da the one weh goh pick up and do all my runs most of the time when my official taxi man nuh available. He nuh cut his style. He say, “Bwai, let’s go. Sometimes some taxi man will tell him, “Bwai, goh pick up the tamales fi mi. That thing too heavy, I can’t lift it up and put it in the car.” He nuh waste no time. He seh right away, you know, you’re ready fi assist. Da wa very cool guy.”
Vasquez was part of the Community Taxi Service, located outside the bus terminal in Orange Walk Town. His colleague, Justin Chan, worked alongside him at the taxi stand. Chan mentioned that they had their differences, but today, the atmosphere at the taxi stand just wasn’t the same.
Voice of: Justin Chan
Voice of: Justin Chan, Friend of Deceased
“Yes, we had wi differences eena terminal because we think different noh but we used to care good, good. He used to be a person – he deh deh for his family. Ih lee gial dehn hours you mi wa see ah right ya di feed the baby. One o’clock, he ker ah da school back. I feel fi the lee gial, ih wife and thing, because he da man weh work the last bus ya and then from deh he goh home. We feel it because Mr Vasquez, every day we deh together from eight o’clock to five-thity, six.”
Chan mentioned that the murder of his friend has changed the working hours for all the taxi drivers at the terminal because they’re now worried about their safety.
Voice of: Justin Chan
“Right now we di try neem work da night. We nuh wa work da night. Wi nuh wa mess wid that because we can’t trust nobody right now. You don’t know who might want to hurt you. So, now we di try to plan. We neem want work da night again. No calls da night. Maybe if da yoh customer weh yoh really trust, yoh maybe do it but somebody who just cll yoh like that, cho.”
Edward Garnett shared that just an hour before he was killed, Vasquez gave him some lasting advice.
Edward Garnett
“Mi son usually come help mi lock up shop and soh, soh he said, “Bwai I nuh want she it behind your back, I wa she it right front ah yoh son.” He said, “talk to him, bwai because yoh son ride da bicycle crazy and he could get hurt.” So I tell ah, “Bwai, thanks fi tell me,” right in front ah my son. And I start tell mi son about it, you know, about the bicycle weh he could get hurt, you know, if he ride that bike too wild out deh.”
Marion Ali
“That was the last time you saw him?”
Edward Garnett
“Just last night. That’s why it was so shocking to me to hear the news.”
The graves of two Belizean men found in Chetumal, Quintana Roo on Saturday morning were desecrated between Wednesday night and this afternoon. Michael Whitaker’s casket was opened, and his body was defiled. This morning, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shared what he knew about the incident. He mentioned that Aaron Tun’s grave was tampered with, and it looked like someone had poured gasoline on his tomb and tried to set it on fire. On Monday, Williams told reporters that investigators were sure that the previous murder of another Belizean, Raheem Usher, discovered a week ago, was committed by locals and that they had good leads on the suspects. He added that two of those suspects are also dead. Incidentally, all three men were laid to rest on Wednesday. Earlier today, Williams said they were investigating the desecration of the two graves.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Police visited the grave site this morning and they saw the grave was disturbed. The body was exhumed and a check of the body revealed that the skull is missing, so that’s the matter the police are looking at this time.”
Reporter
“And the second young man?”
Chester Williams
“The second young man from what I was told, he was not dug up, but they had bore some hole on the tomb and had tried to light it fire. That’s what I was told about the other one.”
Reporter
“ComPol, this is definitely a sign. What kind of sign would the police department take this as?”
Chester Williams
“Obviously, there is someone who is trying to send a message. I don’t know how dead they want these men to be dead, but it’s something we’re looking at.”
While the police are investigating the clear message sent by cartel operatives, we asked Williams for an update on how effective the police efforts are in curbing these activities in northern Belize. The government has invested over a million dollars in this effort. Williams said the department has used the funds to buy various police equipment and protective gear for officers patrolling the borders alongside the Belize Defense Force.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The government has spent over a million dollars, not a million – a million was in the first instance. Since then, we have gone back to the Prime Minister and made requests of additional funds, and those were also approved. As I’ve said before, the government has shown the commitment in making sure that we’re able to police the Northern corridor as well as the northern border areas. And so the monies have been spent in that area, looking at resources for the team to operate effectively. We have purchased ammunitions, we have purchased firearms, we have purchased vehicles, drones, body armour, you name it, we have done it. So, what I do is to make sure that officers who work along the northern border, are equipped and safe and yes, one can say that we still see incidents now and then, and certainly the border area is extremely huge and very porous. And so there are going to be incidents now and then, but truth be told, we have seen a tremendous reduction in those incidents. I think that the team, the police and the BDF, working along the northern irregular border area are doing exemplary work and the work that they’re doing have yielded great success, and we have seen a significant reduction in the activities of cartels coming over into Belize.”
Today, five individuals, including a former employee, were charged in connection with the armed robbery of a Western Dairies delivery truck that took place on Monday in Burrell Boom Village. According to reports, two Western Dairies employees were driving the company vehicle when they were stopped by four men who appeared to be customers. Suddenly, the men pulled out a gun. They climbed into the truck and made off with four thousand, seven hundred and thirty-seven dollars in cash and goods, including an iPhone belonging to one of the employees. The employees involved are twenty-three-year-old Willman Aspinall and forty-one-year-old William Bermudez. Police managed to catch the suspects and have charged Deandre McKoy, Tarique Gillett, Christian Castillo, and Emory Lino with conspiracy to commit robbery. Evidence found on Aspinall has led the police to believe he was involved in the crime, and he has also been charged. Aspinall’s attorney, OJ Elrington, provided more details on the case.
OJ Elrington
OJ Elrington, Attorney-at-Law
“The persons before the court were charged jointly for robbery and for conspiracy to commit robbery. And so, our argument was that while the, for those who were charged under the offense of robbery, we know that falls under section sixteen of the Crime Control and Justice Act. Our submission was that the one client, Mr. Willman Espinal, was not in the same position since he was solely charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, which we submitted did not fall under section sixteen of the Crime Control and Justice Acts, which prohibits a magistrate from granting bail to an accused. The magistrate agreed that it did not fall under section sixteen. However, she submitted that she would exercise her discretion and not granting bail still. And so obviously now we’re in the process of applying for bail for the defendants in the matter. My client has put on record. He told me, and he said that he submitted when he was interviewed that he was beaten by the police and forced to open a phone. And that he was he was subject to police abuse, essentially that the police were trying to force him to make certain admissions, which he did not agree with.”
Reporter
“And also this client, Mr. Aspinall?”
OJ Elrington
“Yes.”
Reporter
“Is he one of the truck drivers for the company?”
OJ Elrington
“ Yes. He is one of the persons who is a driver for Western dairies, I believe it is.”
