Brazen Murder in Belmopan

There is another fatal shooting incident to report tonight. And the crime was also committed in front of the victim’s family.  On Friday, night, brazen criminals came knocking on the door at a home on Belize Street in Belmopan. The matriarch of the house opened the door and the person asked for the whereabouts of her son Joshua Dyer.  As she attempted to respond, the person forced himself into the house, produced a gun and open fire on Dyer. Dyer’s body was transported to the Western Regional Hospital where it was pronounced dead on arrival.

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch

“Police were called to Belize Street in Belmopan as a result of a shooting that was reported to them. When police arrived to the scene, they observed the apparent motionless body of Joshua Dyer, twenty-four years, where his mother reported to police that sometime shortly before 7:30 p.m., she heard a knock on her door and upon her going to the door and opening the door, a clear complexion male person inquired about her son, she then inquired from the person what his name was and used this opportunity to force his way inside the building where he then went directly to the room being occupied by Dyer where he then forced opened the door and fired several shots, fatally injuring Dyer. The person then came out the building and later made good his escape. The person was wearing a black hooded jacket at the time he entered the building.”

Joseph Myvett

Reporter

“Any information as to what caused this victim to be targeted so deliberately?”

ACP Joseph Myvett

“At this point in time, we do not have any information other than to say we are aware that he had an altercation about a month ago with two persons. Those persons have since been detained pending this investigation. An investigation was done while they were in detention where it was shown that those persons were nowhere near that area at the time of the incident. However we are seeking one specific person in relation to the investigation.”

The Belmopan Active Youth issued a released on the murder of Dyer, who is a former member of the organization. In the release, BAY says that the increase of major crimes in and around the City of Belmopan has only compounded the current circumstance and finds the incident extremely disturbing. It says it is dissatisfied with the “obvious lack of strong security measures and the little to no support from both national and local government for strong, community-based, intervention programs and communal involvement.” Belmopan Active Youth urges the police department to “heighten the level of investigation being carried out in order to secure justice as it relates to these horrible crimes and transgressions committed against our youth throughout the country.”