2025 - Channel 5 Belize

Popular Belmopan Entrepreneur Dies Following RTA

Belmopan is mourning the loss of Skyler Williams, a beloved businessman who tragically died in a motorcycle accident on Saturday afternoon. Williams, thirty-four, was riding his motorcycle on George Price Boulevard with a female passenger when they collided with a van. The impact threw both off the bike, and sadly, Williams’ injuries were fatal. Known throughout the city as the life of the party and an exceptional chef, Williams’ death has left a void in the community. News Five’s Paul Lopez traveled to Belmopan to bring us more on this heartbreaking story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The sudden death of Skyler Williams, a thirty-four-year-old businessman from Belmopan, has deeply affected his community. Since his tragic passing in a traffic accident on Saturday, social media has been flooded with heartfelt condolences and memories of Williams. He was well-loved for his vibrant personality and culinary skills. Chantel Magdaleno-Petzold was one of the first to arrive at the scene near a grocery store on George Price Boulevard, just moments after the accident occurred.

Chantel Magdaleno-Petzold, First Responder

“I was trying to help with the young lady that got involved in the accident. He was just giving that young lady a ride. We were trying to calm her down because she was having a asthmatic attack and said she was asthmatic. She gave me some of the information of what happened. I walked back to Skyler, I still did not know it was him. His phone rang and I picked up the phone and saw a picture of him and I got hysterical. That dah my, not my blood brother. That is my brother. I stayed there with him. Mr. Simpson was also on the scene and we calmed him down. We stayed there for about fifteen or twenty minutes before the police came. The ambulance came about ten minutes after the police came, so we was laying on the ground for about twenty to thirty minutes before aid was rendered to him.”

Williams was driving his motorcycle along with a female passenger when they crashed into an oncoming van. Police say that an investigation is underway.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“Police visited the area where the saw a motorcycle and a van with damages. Information is that a motorcycle being driven by Skyler Williams who had a passenger with him, and the van was being driven by Terresa Reyes, at some point the collided. Skyler Williams was taken for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.”

Chantel Magdaleno-Petzold

“She said he was giving her a ride, taking her home and they were taking her into the Chinese to go to the store and the van was coming and I guess he was tyring to beat the turn before the van.”

Skyler Williams was cherished for his joyful personality and remarkable cooking skills. He made his living by catering delicious food to his customers. His mother, Danette Elijio, shared with News 5 that she taught Skyler how to cook when he was just ten years old.

On the Phone: Danette Elijio, Mother of Deceased

“Skyler was the first child to bless my womb. The one who gave me the title of mother. He was a uniquely talented individual, a gift that kept on giving even unto his last breath. At ten years old, I thought my son to cook and while he was growing up, often times we would get together on Sunday and share cooking skills. As he grew up he loved creative arts and did that best in his kitchen.”

Williams’ cousin, Gabriel Ramirez, shared similar sentiments about him.

Voice of: Gabriel Ramirez, Cousin of Deceased

“Skyler was a people person. I got a little money and we were about to, because Skyler is a food person. Everyone knows him as a food person. When people hear Skyler food they rush it because it is always quality and best. How he passed, the amount of people that show support for him that shows the kind of guy he was. I want to tell we Belmopan people, we lost a legend in Belmopan and I want to ask my people to remember him for the good ways he treated people.”

Petzold says he fought to the very end. But ultimately the injuries he sustained proved to be fatal.

Chantel Magdaleno-Petzold

“Skyler is a fighter and he fought for his life before they took him to that hospital. I stayed there until they took him to the stretcher. They got him ready to put him in the ambulance, put the neck brace on his neck. I stay there and I spoke to him. I said, Sky it is Chants. Stay there and fight, fight for your life we are getting help for you. I spoke to him. Skyler dah love, to know Skyler is to love Skyler even with his rough edges.”

Skyler Williams leaves behind three children. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Truck Loses Brakes and Crashes into Drain off Main Highway

This morning, a dump truck loaded with sand crashed into a drain off the George Price Highway. The truck was coming off Frank’s Eddy Road and onto the highway when its brakes failed. The driver managed to jump out of the moving truck, but his passenger wasn’t able to escape in time. We don’t have an official report on the incident yet, but we spoke with someone who witnessed the crash. Here’s what they had to say.

Richard Neal, Eyewitness

“We mih the yah when all of a sudden we saw the truck coming. It came we heard something like the brakes or something. Next thing we heard the jake brakes and it could not hold it up. We know it would go straight in, especially how it had load. We see the driver jumped out and Adrian, when I already took him out, he told us that the door couldn’t open that is why he could not jump out. He said his hand was giving trouble and his shoulder so he probably dislocated his shoulder. We pulled him out, because it was like a side on position. So, we took him out and since we are tour guides we told him to go on the side and he just wouldn’t go on the side because the pain he was in. he got a big buss on his head. Even me, the position he was I thought his neck or hand broke but it was not that bad at least.”

Murder Charges Dropped: Two Suspects Freed Amid Missing Witness Controversy

Tonight, two men, one from Belize City and another from Roaring Creek, are free from murder charges. George Hyde, twenty-six, and Devaun Garcia, nineteen, were accused of the shooting death of eighteen-year-old Eaton Thompson. Hyde was twenty-three and Garcia was only sixteen when they were charged. Their murder trial came to an unexpected end when the crown counsel dropped the case in the middle of the trial. The reason? He couldn’t locate his key witness, whose testimony was crucial. On April fifteenth, the crown called two witnesses to testify about the difficulties police faced in finding the witness, despite visiting his work and home. Two weeks ago, the crown requested one more adjournment. Today, defense attorney Simeon Sampson, who represented Garcia, was ready to challenge the admissibility of the witness’s statement. He expected the crown to try to enter the witness’ statement into evidence, but instead, they dropped the case. At around 2:15 this afternoon, the crown counsel informed the court they would discontinue the case against Hyde and Garcia. Justice Candace Nanton released the men but reminded them that it does not mean an acquittal. She warned that the murder charges could be reinstated at any time. Sampson explained that the crown’s witness had given police two statements. In the first, he claimed he saw Garcia and Hyde shoot Eaton Thompson while riding his bicycle. Six months later, he recanted, saying he was forced to give the first statement. Eaton Thompson, a resident of Mahogany Heights, was sent to buy tacos for his mother but was tragically gunned down that morning and never made it back home.

Alifah Elrington Steps Down as Head of Prosecution Branch, Returns to Private Practice

Alifah Elrington is stepping down from her role as head of the Prosecution Branch at the end of July. Elrington has been with the Government of Belize for the past six years. This morning, we caught up with her at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, where she was handling an old case involving a Mexican national and four others, including a female police officer, charged with guns and ammunition after a drug bust in Orange Walk. Elrington confirmed that she had tendered her resignation. She explained that she was appointed as a Senior Crown Counsel with responsibility for the Prosecution Branch six years ago. Now, she’s returning to private practice as an attorney. Elrington mentioned that she had over seventy days of leave outstanding at the end of December 2024, which is why she’s taking immediate leave. During her tenure, Elrington prosecuted many high-profile cases, including the case against Elmer Nah, his wife Epifania Caliz, and his brother-in-law Manuel Caliz, which ended in acquittal. She also handled several cases against police officers and numerous sex crime cases in recent years. Elrington was the prosecutor in the case against former police officer Darrel “Tutsi” Usher, son of Minister Gilroy Usher Jr., who was acquitted of firearm and ammunition charges on April 23, 2024. Her most recent case involved charges being withdrawn against COMPOL Williams’ brother, Arthur Roy Williams. Elrington also prosecuted former police officer Dean Bellini, who was convicted and sentenced to three years in 2023 by then Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser for possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply marijuana, following an Orange Walk bust.

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio Commends PM Briceño in Key Call

Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn’t make it to Belize during his recent whirlwind visit to the Caribbean, but he called Prime Minister John Briceño this morning. Rubio wanted to emphasize the importance of the U.S.-Belize partnership and congratulate Briceño on his March 12th election victory. He recognized Belize’s significant efforts to counter illegal immigration, support Haitian security efforts, and combat transnational organized crime. Secretary Rubio and Prime Minister Briceño discussed tariffs and Belizean commitment and engagement with both the ICJ and Guatemala regarding the Sarstoon River. Secretary Rubio thanked Belize for its efforts as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti. Additionally, Secretary Rubio committed to working with Prime Minister Briceño to strengthen the investment climate for U.S. firms in Belize. The call concluded with both leaders expressing their commitment to deepen the strong and cooperative relationship between the United States and Belize.

Bush Fire Destroys Property; Claims Life

On Saturday, a bush fire in Hattieville Village turned tragic, burning down a small home and claiming the life of its owner. The victim, sixty-three-year-old Gerald Hamilton, was a friend, neighbor, and employee of Godwin Smith. Smith told News Five that Hamilton had helped put out a bush fire in the morning but felt sick afterward and went to lie down. Unfortunately, when another bush fire spread to Hamilton’s house early that afternoon, no one realized he was still inside. The fire quickly engulfed the home, and when villagers checked the scene, Hamilton was already dead. Godwin Smith, who was a close friend of Hamilton, shared this heartbreaking story.

Godwin Smith, Friend of Deceased

“My oldest son is forty-three years old, and he mind him from baby. I was living in Gracie Rock and he was there with me. I come here and we met here. So every day he come at my house, we sit down out there just to wait to see when he get in at his house. He out a first fire then apparently he went in his house. He went in the house and the car. He tell my daughter he feel bad and he went in the house. So. my place start catch over there and my daughter went over there. When he went over there, my son called from Belize and tell the wife to come and hail Gerald mek Gerald help her out the fire. But when they come here, the door was open and the bike was there and they only knock on the wall and we hail Gerald but Gerlad nuh answer, so they said Gerald mussi gone. So when I come, immediately I come and I help them out there. When I start helping them out there, then somebody passed by, one truck passed by and tell wi look, one house di burn down here. So I left the hog pen di burn and when I run come here, my daughter tell me Gerlad bike was there too. And then I tell ah definite if Gerald bike there, then Gerald in the house. The house was burned down. When I look, I see another fire sparks open when I look there, I see Gerald head and I see a pelvis. That’s why I call some people and say a body is down here. Gerald’s body is down here.”

Villager Appeals for Water Bowsers to Fight Fires

The wooden structure was small, measuring just fifteen-by-ten feet, but losing his friend is what really hurts Smith. He shared that Hamilton was always willing to run errands for anyone in the village. Now, the community is planning a candlelight vigil for Tuesday night to honor him. Smith is also appealing for water bowsers to be placed in villages prone to bush fires. This idea is currently being considered by the National Fire Service Belize District Station Officer, Gladstone Bucknor.

Godwin Smith, Friend of Deceased

“This is a major loss. This is hurtful. But like I say, I send message to the village of them and I ask them to please “Whenever, when a light a fire, unu try to protect it, because no use of saying dehn da bush fire and da fire weh people light. I ask – mek wa appeal to the village council and say, for five years I di lobby, at least we could get wa water truck go at the police station. At least when we call the police, they got some kind of equipment fi help wi because the distance ah weh the fire truck deh, when they come, with dehn kinda leaf ya the place done burn down, but if you have a water bowser, the police could save life and house.”

Gladstone Bucknor, Station Officer, Belize District

“The guy went out, they were outing bushfires at the time. He was fatigued, he went inside and he was sleeping and we don’t – well, the investigator hasn’t come back and said, “Yes, that the fire actually run towards the building and started the fire. The department along with the Ministry they’re looking into putting in fire stations throughout the villages, particularly Hattieville and probably through Boom area. They’re looking at that. I haven’t confirmed us yet, but that’s one of the main areas they’re looking at. Bushfires actually cause a lot of damage, especially – you can remember the one in PG just by bushfire alone, cause so many damages.”

Five More Cases of Measles in Cayo

Belize has reported five new cases of measles. The outbreak started with two confirmed imported cases on April twelfth. News Five has learned that all five new cases are from the Cayo District and come from the same household. Today, the Ministry of Health and Wellness released a statement saying that after the initial detection, five more cases were found among close contacts linked to the first two cases. They also identified over twenty school contacts: twelve were fully vaccinated, five were unvaccinated, and four had unknown vaccination status. So far, fourteen samples have been sent to Mexico for testing, and all came back negative. The ministry assured the public that they are closely monitoring the close contacts of the confirmed cases to quickly detect and respond to any symptoms.

Outrage Erupts as Princess Cinema Allegedly Screens Pirated Version of ‘Sinners’

Movie fans are up in arms online after claiming that Ramada Princess Cinema showed a pirated version of the much-awaited film Sinners during its recent screening. Many attendees took to social media, posting photos and videos that seemed to show a watermark logo bouncing around the screen throughout the movie — a telltale sign of an unauthorized copy. To make matters worse, viewers reported that the video and audio quality were horrible, likening the experience to watching a low-grade “camrip.” In one Facebook post, a disappointed customer wrote: “I didn’t watch this home because I wanted the HD experience, and I completely regret that decision.” Another upset moviegoer described the experience as “beyond low,” stating: “Your services have disappointed me time and time again, but this will not be tolerated. How many Belizeans did you punk last night?” Many expressed frustration that they were charged full ticket price despite the quality issues, with one poster questioning: “Isn’t that illegal?” News Five tried to reach out to Ramada Princess Cinema via Facebook for a comment, but we haven’t heard back yet. We also tried calling the number listed on their Facebook page, but that didn’t work either.

JLSC Acknowledges Receipt of Complaint Against Justice Hondora

The Judicial and Legal Services Commission has acknowledged receiving Jeremy Enriquez’s complaint against Justice Tawanda Hondora. As we previously reported, Enriquez filed a complaint alleging misconduct and judicial misbehavior during the proceedings of his recent constitutional claim. He is urging the commission to investigate Justice Hondora, claiming that during a recess, Justice Hondora was overheard saying he had already decided to dismiss the application. For context, here’s a portion of the recording where Enriquez’s attorney, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, raised the issue with Justice Hondora.

Anand Ramlogan, Attorney-at-Law

“Might I say this for the record my lord. I have seen something disturbing and I want to bring it to your attention for the record. During the break, and my juniors have informed me, they are based in Trinidad and I am based in Fort Lauderdale. During the break I am advised that unfortunately your microphone was on. They have no audience in the court and they couldn’t contact me because I went to have my breakfast. You are recorded as being overheard in saying you have made up your mind to dismiss this application already. It is unfortunate and I want to bring it to your attention because if you have made up your mind say so and I will stop talking now. If that is what the court is saying unintentionally with your microphone on and that is being heard by my juniors and they could not contact me and I am being contacted by WhatsApp that is an important matter. If you have decided this matter without telling me, without the benefits of my submission well come clean and said so, and don’t let me waste my time with the court. I am being frustrated, uninterrupted and trying to assist the court but it seems I am banging my head to a brick wall and I am looking and searching for a mind open to suasion. But if you said that during your break then don’t waste my time.”

Justice Tawanda Hondora, High Court Judge

“Whatever information you have been told is patently incorrect.”

Anand Ramlogan

“Sorry my lord?”

Justice Tawanda Hondora

“Whatever information you have been told is patently incorrect.”