According to the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, officers have been hard at work to reduce crime in the twin Towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena. Over the past few months, police have increased operations to target known criminals in the communities. These operations include raiding the home of San Ignacio resident Khader Habet, whose house has been searched as many as thirteen times. Habet claims that he is being harassed by police. However, Williams says that the police are just doing their jobs to ensure that known criminals are targeted by the police for the safety of the entire country.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“As the Commissioner of Police, I have given directions to my officers in terms of what I want to see them do to make the good people of San Ignacio and Santa Elena feel safe. I think that the situation reaches a stage that idea where businesses were closing down and many others were threatening to close down as well because of the fact that they didn’t feel safe as a result of criminal activities. And most of these activities are driven by persons who want to have dominance in the drug world. And so when it comes to the young man, Habet what he failed to say to the media is that he is in this area where police operations in the past and even recently had led to the discovery of large number of drugs and a number of firearms hidden in the lot right beside him. We know how most of these people in the criminal world operates because they know the police is going to be targeting them and coming to their homes to search. They’re not going to hide these items in their yard or in their homes. They would hide it next door so that if the police finds it, they will not be able to tie it to them. Our intelligence have told us many things where he is concerned and he is a person of interest to us in that area. And so the police is going to continue to go to him. If it feels like going to the media and complaint is going to have the police back down from him, that is not going to happen.”
It is not one of the more modern communities in Belize, and perhaps that was why robbers targeted Springfield over the weekend. On Saturday, four gunmen held up four persons in the community, located several miles out of Belmopan off the Hummingbird Highway. The robbers got away with a vehicle, cell phones, and other belongings, as A.C.P. Hilberto Romero shared.
“On Saturday, the twentieth 20th day of July 2024, police responded to a robbery report at Springfield. On their arrival, they found Richard Belisle and three other persons. They reported that they were at a farm at Springfield, when they were approached by four male persons who were armed with firearms. The persons proceeded to rob them of personal belongings, including cell phones, and thereafter stole a Ford Ranger pickup valued at seventy thousand dollars from Richard Belisle. The person then fled from the area. We have no suspects at this time for this robbery.”
Reporter
“How many persons was it?”
A.C.P. Hilberto Romero
“There were four persons at Springfield, and they were approached by four other male persons who did the robbery.”
Reporter
“Were they in the car at the time of the robbery?”
On Sunday, the lifeless body of Burley Thompson was discovered in the Macal River in San Ignacio. Thompson’s family had reported him missing the day before. They told police that he was last seen at around three a.m. on Saturday leaving a casino in San Ignacio. A.C.P. Hilberto Romero told reports that there were no apparent signs of injuries on his body.
“On Sunday police responded to reports that a body was seen floating in the Macal River. Police responded where they retrieved a body of a male person who was identified as Burly Thompson of Cayo. Information’s that Burly Thompson had been reported missing the night prior and there after his body was found. The body was identified and taken to the morgue, and we are waiting a postmortem examination to determine his cause of death.”
Reporter
“Any foul play expected at this time?”
Hilberto Romero
“Not at this time, we will await postmortem results.”
Today, the San Ignacio Police Station received two new pickup trucks and a motorbike as a donation from the Belize Tourism Board. This donation brings much needed resources for crime fighting to the twin towns, following a recent spike in crime within the area. Several businesses have been targeted and there have even been a couple murders over the past few months. This morning, a handing over ceremony was held outside of the precinct. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The San Ignacio Police Station received two new pickup trucks and a motorbike today. One of the vehicles, as well as the motorbike was donated by the Belize Tourism Board.
“This is not the first time we have been together, our ministry, the Belize Tourism Board and our ministry working along with the security forces in Belize. I want to say on his behalf that we look forward to an ongoing partnership. We recognize in tourism the importance of safety and security and of course San Ignacio and Cayo in general is one of the main tourist destinations. We have to maintain safety and security for not only our citizens but for our guests as well.”
The second pickup truck was donated by the Government of Belize. Though two trucks were present at today’s handing over ceremony, B.T.B. is donating one to officers in Ladyville. Out west, Assistant Superintendent of Police Cesar Franco and his team have been working tirelessly to suppress a recent spike in violence within the twin towns.
A.S.P. Cesar Franco
A.S.P. Cesar Franco, O.C., San Ignacio Police Formation
“These vehicles come at a very opportune time to assist in addressing the crime and violence within San Ignacio and Santa Elena. We here at the San Ignacio formation continue to strive to offer our best service to the community that we ought to do.”
Three elected representatives were seated at the head table, flanked by Commissioner of Police Chester Williams and Deputy Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado. It’s a show of support for the ongoing efforts to root out the source of violence that has been plaguing San Ignacio and Santa Elena of recent.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I know that when crime rears its ugly head there is a lot of people that have a lot to say, people who from their own words have solutions to the problem but never have actions that can match the solutions they spue. But I can proudly say with certainty that the Belize Tourism Board under the leadership of Minister Anthony Mahler has been one of the Belize Police Department’s greatest supporter when it comes to providing resources for the police to be able to do our work.”
Kareem Musa
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“This truly is what it meant o have a united effort, a united front against a very serious crime situation that has been plaguing our nation. The criminals are getting more brazen, a lot younger, from thirteen years old , and that is why it is extremely important we tackle crime from all front, not just a policing front, but from a social development front, human development. We have partnerships with Minister Dolores, Minister Ferguson when to comes to sports, the Minister of Education. At the end of the day education is the greatest equalizer.”
Aside from the two new mobiles, the San Ignacio Police Station will receive an additional twenty-seven police officers who are also being deployed out west. ComPol Williams and his team have consulted with residents in the twin towns.
Chester Williams
“We have had several meetings in the area and I attended some of those meetings. I also had Assistant Commissioner of Police Gillett attend some of those meetings. Those meetings were to discuss with the people of the twin towns to see what we can do to assist with making the area safer. Again it goes as a part of our strategic policing plan where we consult with people to see how we can find solutions to the crime problem. From those meetings I went back to our minister to see what we can do to allay some of the concerns of the people. Through that we got the donations of some of those vehicles. The San Ignacio Formation will get two no vehicles and one will go to the Ladyville Sub-Formation. We also expect that within the next couple of weeks, by the first of August we will have the opening of the new Santa Elena Police Station to make sure we can decentralize our policing effort in this area. I have already transferred, effective first of August, twenty-seven new police officers who will be assigned to the Santa Elena Police Station. That is going to give additional human resources to the area.”
Police are still seeking one suspect in connection with the Saturday night murder of Clint Castillo in Cotton Tree Village. As we have reported, twenty-two-year-old Jamal Hyde was charged with two counts of abetment to commit murder. The second suspect is in hiding and authorities are working to find him. ComPol Williams gave reporters an update on that search.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We are still looking for the person who is the suspect in that matter. We receive tips occasionally on his whereabouts. But to every time we respond he is not found. I had personally gone to the mother to ask if she would be able to assist in locating her son. She has pledged that she is going to do her best to do so. But in the meantime we continue our efforts to try and locate him. He is now on our five most wanted list. So you would know that he is of great priority to us.”
Reporter
“Is it gang related?”
Chester Williams
“It is not gang related. They are a group that hangs together. They are all friends. Apparently there was an argument that started between them and that led to the young man Hyde, that was charged, handing a weapon to the alleged murdered and the alleged murderer carried out the act. So it is not a matter of them being gang members. They are employed people and they had some argument between themselves.”
Reporter
“Is it a personal disappointment for you that this is the first time Cotton Tree has been under an SOE and right under the SOE there is a murder.”
Chester Williams
“Again, we have to understand that SOEs are not designed to stop every crime from happening. If you have an SOE and a wife and husband has an issue at home and one kill the other, how do you expect the SOE is going to stop that? The objective of the SOE is to go after the persons who are known to give problems in the area continuously. It is not just to look at somebody and say oh he looks like he has a gun and pick them up and lock them up. If we were to do that then you would be the first one to prance on the police and say we ware just picking up people. These are people who are employed together, they are friends, They were at a yard hanging out ,enjoying themselves and an argument started. How do you expect police to stop that? To say that it is different than a wife and husband it is not different. There are certain things that will happen outside of the preventative measures of the police and when it happens you have to make sure we find a way to deal with it, as simple as that.”
Police have made inroads in the murder and attempted murder incident that happened in Cotton Tree on Saturday. The murder suspect is still at large, but today they informed the media that they have arrested and charged twenty-two-year-old Jamal James Hyde, a construction worker from Cayo with two counts of abetment to murder. The charges are in connection with the murder of thirty-nine-year-old Clint Castillo and the attempted murder of Andrew Muns. It’s an interesting scenario because the shootings happened in an area that the state of emergency covers, and because the man charged comes from the Roaring Creek area, known to have clashes with individuals from Cotton Tree in the past. On Monday, Muns’ sister, Anna Middleton, told News Five that the family is having a hard time coping with the loss, having suffered the loss of another brother only four months ago.
Anna Middleton
Anna Middleton, Sister of Clint Castillo
“It’s hurting us, the family because we are trying to recover. I know we have this to recover also. I’ve seen a lot of family go through this, but I would never. Believe in me. I’m not on my door. We don’t have our mom. We don’t have our power. We just have each other, you know? So I don’t know what’s that reason behind the killing because Clint wasn’t a criminal.”
We start off tonight with a report of a fatal shooting incident that left a man dead and another in critical condition and paralyzed. The attack happened on Saturday night in Cotton Tree Village, which is one of the communities that the State of Emergency covers. The incident was sparked by an argument among friends and quickly escalated into gun violence when the deceased went out to see what was taking place. He was the first to be shot, then the other man, who attempted to run away. The shooter and the men were reportedly having a few drinks when the altercation happened. News Five’s Marion Ali visited Cotton Tree Village and brought back this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The bloodstained spot on the dirt road is where thirty-nine-year-old Clint Castillo collapsed and died after he was shot in the face shortly before eleven on Saturday night. He was asleep on a sofa in one of the homes when he heard a ruckus outside and went out to investigate what was happening. A group of friends who were drinking on the street got into an argument and Castillo stepped in to deescalate the situation. But it didn’t.
Andrew Muns
One of the men produced a handgun and shot Castillo at close range, before turning the weapon on the man with whom he had the dispute, Andrew Muns. Andrew Muns is reportedly paralyzed and in a critical condition in the K.H.M.H. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero shares what the police have gathered so far.
“On Saturday, the sixth day of July 2024, about 10:50 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at Cutting Tree Village. Upon the arrival, they learned that two persons had been shot. They were identified as Clint Castillo and Andrew Muns. Information is that these persons were along with other persons in the area when an argument started between them. One of the persons then pulled out a firearm and fired shots towards him. Causing the fatal injuries to claim Castillo. Andrew Muns remains at the hospital in critical condition. They were hanging out drinking together and at some point, an argument began between them. Uh, we are not sure what the argument was about.”
Castillo’s sister, Anna Middleton, tells News Five that gun violence and tragedy have revisited the family just four months apart.
Anna Middleton
Anna Middleton, Sister of Clint Castillo
“We’re just getting over mourning our brother that they killed March 4th, 2024, Cruz Castillo. We are trying to get over him and they did this to us. Clint Castillo, within four months, I have to be here planning another brother’s funeral. Clint was a sweet, funny dude. He – the only thing we had with him was the drinking, and I wa miss ah. Clint wasn’t a criminal. He wasn’t; just the drinking. They had problem with him.”
Middleton says the family advised Castillo to be careful after their younger brother, Cruz Castillo, was killed in March.
Anna Middleton
“From the time we buried Cruz Castillo, we have always told him, I said, Clint, find somewhere else to live, move out of that village. They’re coming, they will come out to you. They will come out to you because of our brother’s reputation. So every two weeks they be calling me, Anna. Clinton get into and I’d be like, Oh my goodness, my brother when I, when we check into it, he’s not in the wrong. People is always attacking him when he’s drunk. I’m hearing they had an altercation two weeks ago when that same, I think they said the said dude end up punching my brother in his mouth.”
Police have detained one man and are seeking a second in connection with the incident. Clint Castillo would have turned forty next month. Marion Ali for News Five.
On Saturday afternoon, a Canadian couple was enjoying a day swimming at the popular Rio On Pools in Mountain Pine Ridge when the river started to rise suddenly. They found themselves stranded on a rock in the middle of the turbulent body of water. They were stranded for almost five hours, well into the night, until they were finally brought back to dry land by a multi-agency team. Among the team of responders were members of the Belize Institute of Search and Rescue Training (BISART), the Spanish Lookout Fire Rescue E.M.S., the Belize Defense Force, residents of San Antonio Village and the National Fire Service. According to Wendy Garcia, the Director of BISART, this was the most technical operation they have ever undertaken. It lasted several hours with little to no margin for errors.
Wendy Garcia
Wendy Garcia, Director, BISART
“On Saturday I received a call from a colleague of mine, a first one from a guy in Monkey Bay and the second one from the Spanish Lookout Rescue Community. So, I got the call about two persons that were stranded at the Rio Hon Pools in the Mountain Pine Ridge area. So, we responded to that incident later on that evening. This rescue was a very technical one as you have seen on videos and pictures the water levels were up and the currants were strong. These were the factors that had to be taken into consideration, no room for errors. However, when we go their we combined with the guys on the ground, the Spanish Lookout E.M.S., also the B.D.F. and the Forestry guys on the ground. In order to pull of this rescue several things had to be done. We had to go to the drawing board and go with some of the ropes and necessary rigs to maneuver down the rapids where the patients were. So, what we did, we set up a line across the river and we used that rope to access them down stream. This is why we train, we train a lot, every day, every week, every time we run different programs for different agencies in the country and the community. At the end of the day once you train and got the skills. This was one of the most technical rescues we have ever done so far because of the challenges we had. For this the main thing is not to get in these positions. You want to update yourself on the weather condition, know what is going on the river, where you are going to swim. Information, prevention is better than getting yourself in this situation. Follow the weather, see what it is doing, where you are going and if it is prone to flashfloods.”
We also heard from Orvin Rudon, the team leader at the National Fire Service Rescue Team. Rudon explained that when his team arrived on the scene, BISART and the Spanish Lookout E.M.S. were already in action. Rudon thanked the various agencies for their quick response and the courage displayed in risking their lives to save others.
Orvin Rudon
Orvin Rudon, Team Leader, National Fire Service Rescue Team
“I think they were just like regular other people going to visit the pools and standing on the rocks. The only thing I can think about is there was heavy rains further up in the mountains and all the water came together and that was the main path of the water flow and the water just rose suddenly on them and they realized they couldn’t get out because of the rapid flow. If they would have stepped in that water, they would have been surely swept away down further the stream. Being that it was late in the evening and the weather was off and on with the rain as all the teams were trying to assist getting these people out. Nightfall met us in the dark and it was challenging with the darkness, but all the team worked together to get them out safely and that was the main focus on the rescue.”
Paul Lopez
“How long did it take to get them out?”
Orvin Rudon
“From the moment we get the call somewhere around four p.m., I think the rescue was completed about ten minutes to nine somewhere there about. So, they were standing on that rock for a few hours before being rescued. From the Belize National Fire Service and seeing that I am responsible for the National Fire Service Rescue Team I would like to thank the different other rescue teams who came out and responded quickly to the call, Spanish Lookout Fire and Rescue Team, BISART Rescue Team, and San Antonio Rescue Team, the B.D.F. officers that responded as well.”
Thirty-six-year-old Solomon Coleman was killed in Belmopan on May twenty-eighth and there has not been an arrest yet. Police were having difficulties establishing a motive for the killing, but the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams says that he has since met with Coleman’s mother and also with a team of investigators and has given them instructions to press on with the investigations.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I have also assembled a team of experienced investigators from Major Crimes, C.I.B., G.I-3 and Special Branch to look at all murders from January to present with a view to see how we can revive those investigations – go back and re-interview witnesses, go back, look at video footages to see if we’ll be able to find something that we may have overlooked in the past. So that team, which is headed by Senior Superintendent Gerald Jones, is extremely busy looking at all those cases and that matter with Mr. Coleman came up yesterday, and I think that they have gotten some further information which should be able to lead to arrests, so hopefully very soon we should be seeing results coming from the team that we assembled and they are also looking at the gang membership investigation where the gang members are concerned. So again, the objective is for us to be able to see how we can not just have these people in prison, but to investigate the cases that they are accused of with a view to be able to successfully making arrests where those cases are concerned. So I’ll ask Mr. Coleman mother to just be a bit patience with us. We understand her pain and her need for wanting to see results from the police. And we’ll do our best to make sure that she gets justice for whatever took place with her son.”
