An alleged gunman also appeared before Justice Candace Nanton today where the Crown closed its case in a trial for attempted murder. Kareem Franklin is accused of trying to kill a pair of police officers during a drive-by shooting that took place on Mahogany Street in March 2016. Despite being caught on surveillance footage with a firearm in his hands, Franklin denies that he was ever on the scene and fired shots at the officers. Franklin is on trial for the attempted murder of P.C. Stephen Choco and Joseph Sutherland. It is alleged that the policemen were on motorcycle patrol on Mahogany Street when they came across Franklin who was also a passenger on a motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was signaled to pull over. Instead of doing so, the driver sped off and a pursuit ensued. That’s when Franklin reportedly produced a handgun and opened fire in the direction of the officers. Franklin claims that on the day of the incident, he was at home and around one o’clock that afternoon, he went over to a football field where his mother was watching him play football. He says that’s when they heard the gunshots. Kareem Franklin is being represented by attorney Ronnel Gonzalez. Franklin is on remand at the Belize Central Prison.
Category: Crime
Retired Police Sergeant Convicted of Raping His Stepdaughter
A retired police sergeant has been convicted of the rape of a child and sexual assault and tonight he is on remand at the Belize Central Prison until he is sentenced on July sixteenth. Earlier today in the High Court of Justice Candace Nanton, the sixty-six-year-old former officer was found guilty of molesting and raping his seven-year-old stepdaughter. The crown was able to prove the charges during the testimony of the child with corroborating evidence from the little girl’s mother, as well as a teacher whom she confided in. The minor, who testified in camera, told the court that sometime between October fifth and December seventeenth, 2021, her stepfather raped her. A few months later, in April 2022, he molested her. Justice Nanton, in finding the stepfather guilty, concluded that the testimonies of the child, her mother and teacher only strengthened the prosecution’s case. The retired policeman denied the allegations and told the court that the entire story was fabricated. Ahead of his sentencing, a victim impact assessment, as well as a social inquiry report and psychiatric evaluation have been ordered.
John Doe Identified
Police have identified the man who was found with a gunshot wound last night. An official report from the Belize Police Department says the person has been identified as Alfredo Enrique Rodriguez David.
David’s body was discovered around 5:00 p.m. Police are investigating.
Unidentified Man Found Dead in Old Capital
Police in Belize City are investigating an apparent murder. The body of a man was found with multiple gunshot wounds near the Port of Belize in Belize City yesterday. The unidentified man is believed to have been fishing in the area when he was murdered.
Investigators found a backpack, bucket, and bicycle near the body.
Asian Businessman Gunned Down in Santa Elena
The nation’s latest murder victim is an Asian businessman from Santa Elena Town. Sheng Wen Wu, the proprietor of Allan’s Restaurant, was gunned down a stone’s throw away from his place of business. Wu arrived home at three a.m. on Thursday, inside his grey Toyota Forerunner. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of gunmen lurked in the area. When he got out of his vehicle, they pounced on him and demanded that he hand over the money. He was then shot twice. As he fled the scene on foot, the men pursued him on a motorbike. He was shot three more times and left for dead on the shoulder of the George Price Highway. According to business owners in the area, this is not the first robbery that has occurred in the area recently. Unfortunately, this one proved to be fatal. So, what has led to the uptick in crime, business owners believe that criminals are taking advantage of the fact that the Hawksworth Bridge is closed for renovations. The police station sits at the foot of the bridge on the other side of the Macal River. News Five’s Paul Lopez report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
A Santa Elena businessman was gunned down near his establishment in the early hours of Thursday morning. Reports are that just after three o’clock, Sheng Wen Wu arrived in front of his restaurant, just across from the Social Security Board, when he was approached by two gunmen on a motorbike. The men reportedly attempted to rob Wu and he tried to escape. He was shot twice in front of his restaurant. He then fled on foot towards the Hawksworth Bridge. About one hundred yards away, the gunmen caught up with him and shot him dead. We spoke off camera with someone who told us that crime has increased in the area since the Hawksworth Bridge was closed for renovations a month ago.
Voice of: Santa Elena Food Vendor
“The main thing is that things the happen mostly now because the bridge close and now we don’t have the patrol unit like that the pass like how they use to pass. They are on foot but it takes a little while for them to come around. That is the main one right there. After nine most of the businesses they close and whosoever are left open to continue working through the night, we are the ones that have to look out for each other.”
Reports are that gunmen have targeted at least three businesses in the area recently, a supermarket, a meat shop and a vegetable vendor. With the uptick in crime, this food vendor is considering leaving her business behind for the sake of her safety.
“Yes, I even the think about give up, because you have to the watch your back and people may think you the make money, but at this time of the year you are not making money. And with the bridge being closed, you nuh the make no kind of money and you just the struggle and the little bit you make you are just investing it back again and people will come and hurt you for the little bit of money you have.”
“I just know he as a nice person, but I never really get to know him like that. I just purchased some stuff from him and that’s all.”
Reporter
“Ok, but he was a struggling businessperson as well.”
“Yes, just like myself, he was struggling as well. All of us, from the time the bridge closed down all of us have been struggling, big time. You could ask anybody and all of us the struggle. We even tried to plea with the town council to see if they could do anything about it so that the bridge could open faster than the time they say, because they said six to seven months. But I don’t know if it will happen.”
We reached out to Mayor Earl Trapp who informed us that contrary to what the business owners may be observing, police patrols have increased in the area. Mayor Trapp says that he believes the time the incident occurred may have contributed to the brazenness of the killers.
On the Phone: Earl Trapp, Mayor, Santa Elena/ San Ignacio
“To be honest, according to the O.C., police patrols have increased in Santa Elena because of that said reason, because the bridge is closed and one of the reasons why I sought to ensure that the low lying bridge would be a two way is for the said reason, to ensure that vehicles would be able to traverse along that path, crossing the low lying bridge into the George Price Avenue and the George Price Highway. So, for that said reason I went the extra mile and convinced the other parties we must allow the low-lying bridge to be two way, especially for smaller vehicles. When you look at the time that happened, that is three o’clock in the morning, so there is very little that maybe police could have done or people could have seen.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
They Stole Stake Bank’s Vessel
Police are searching for four individuals involved in the theft of a Colombian vessel belonging to Stake Bank Limited.
The investigation began after a report on Thursday, June 6, 2024, indicated that four men, one armed with a firearm, entered the Stake Bank compound on mile 5 on the George Price Highway. According to police, the men assaulted two security guards and stole the company’s Colombian vessel that was docked in the canal.
No injuries were reported.
Murder in Santa Elena Town
Police in San Ignacio are investigating a robbery turned murder which occurred earlier this morning in Santa Elena Town. According to the investigation, the victim has been identified as Sheng Wen Wu. He is a businessman.
Reports are that Wu had arrived at his residence on the George Price Highway when he was held at gunpoint by two men on a motorcycle.
The men demanded money from Wu. Wu managed to escape but was followed and shot several times. He died on the scene. Police are investigating.
Shooting Victim Speaks Out After Witnessing Roy Burgess Murder
It is not often that we hear a shooting victim, who also witnessed the murder of her friend, speak out about their encounter, especially when that victim was also supposed to be dead. But tonight, Maia James, a Belizean American, is sharing her story, two months after her friend, thirty-two-year-old Roy Burgess, was shot dead inside his vehicle on the Placencia Road. She was also inside the vehicle and was shot in the face. But she survived and remembers the entire ordeal vividly. James sat down with Breakbeat Media in the U.S. for an extensive interview. She recounted the night the incident occurred, the gunshots at close range and how she hid in some bushes with a gunshot injury to the head, while waiting for help to arrive. James saw her shooter and her friend’s murderer. He was also in the vehicle with them. She alleges that the suspect is Ellis Meighan, an individual wanted for questioning by police. Meighan fled to the U.S. where James says she tracked him down and informed U.S. authorities that he is a wanted in connection with a murder in Belize. It is an unbelievable tale of survival and bravery. News Five’s Paul Lopez report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Thirty-two-year-old Roy Burgess was murdered on April fourteenth inside his vehicle on the Placencia Road. His friend, Maia James, was shot in the face during the incident. Investigators have since been seeking Belize City resident Ellis Meighan for questioning in connection with the murder. But Meighan fled to the U.S. where he is currently claiming asylum. That is the information the Commissioner of Police provided to the press five days ago.
May 31st, 2024
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I think the issue with Ellis Meighan currently is that he is claiming asylum so I think the U.S. will go through that asylum process to see if he would meet the asylum to be granted asylum and if he does not meet the requirement then he will be sent back home. Bear in mind that we have already issued an arrest warrant for him, likewise, his wanted poster is out there. So the U.S. authorities should know that he is wanted in Belize and Interpol Belize is in communication with Interpol in the U.S. to make sure that there is proper coordination.”
Maia James, Placencia Shooting Victim
“I saw a car coming down the street and he was like this dah the bway deh right yah and he opened the car door and stepped out and when he did that I turned around and looked at this face and that is the only reason I am able to know what he looks like right now because I turned around and looked at his face. And by the time I turned around and looked at him all I heard was pop, pop, pop and I felt like fire on my air, like fire, it burnt so bad. When it happened I was like this cannot be gunshots right now. But I immediately fell between my legs, and I played dead for like a couple of minutes.”
Deciding to pretend dead could have been what saved James’ life. She says that after a couple minutes she grabbed her phone and placed it under the seat while trying to call her mom. She then got out of the vehicle and dragged herself into some nearby bushes.
Maia James
“The second call she answered I said “ma, Cat dead, Juice, Juice, Juice shoot me”. She thought I was playing. She said what? I said I just got shot. She said no, where are you, where are you. I was explaining to her the name of the resort, and she was not understanding me because my mouth is like swollen bad, everything is swollen. She sent her friend to the police station which was directly across the street from her house and that was the only reason why the police came, because nobody called. People heard gunshots, but nobody called the police, so. She called back and I answered and said ma, I cant hold back any more and I am going, I am going. She was like no, she started screaming. She was like listen to your baby cause my baby was crying tin the background. She was like listening to your baby, your kids need you.”
James says she knew that Burgess had succumbed to the injuries he sustained moments after he was shot. She recalls seeing someone with a flashlight, while she was lying in the bushes. She believed that the shooter had returned to the scene. Eventually the police arrived.
“I remember being with my mom on the phone. I had her on speaker and I was like shut up, they are coming back to look for me. Like shortly after that the cop showed up. To that day I don’t know who the person was, but I thought they came back. I thought he saw me running in the bush or something, so I am immediately thinking it was him. So the cops came, I saw the lights. I seen the cop lights, and I heard them get out of their cars but nobody is looking for me. I said police, I am here in the bushes. It was some tall bushes so I am kicking to make movement so they could find me. They were like you all hear that; someone is in the bushes. They found me and looked at me and said who did this to you? I said, Juice, Juice did this to me. As soon as I said Juice, it is like everybody knows who that is. He went straight to the cop car pulled up his picture, showed it to me, and I was like, yes him.”
“That same night a cop helped him out of the village. He was on the run until a couple days ago, thanks to me. If I didn’t live, they were friends, you know that right, if I didn’t live he would have shown up to his funeral and everything.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Kenrick Longsworth Found Guilty of Manslaughter and Wounding
Kenrick Longsworth, the Belize City resident accused of murdering his three-year-old stepson, has been found guilty of manslaughter. As we have reported, on January tenth, 2020, Mark Teul’s mother found him dead inside their Lovely Lane home. He was allegedly beaten to death and sexually assaulted by Longsworth. Mark’s siblings were also found badly beaten but still alive inside the house. Longsworth was also slapped with two counts of attempted murder in connection with their injuries. Today, the High Court found him guilty of wounding, not attempted murder, but only in the case of one of the surviving siblings. He was found not guilty in relation to the charge that stemmed from the other’s injury. So, Longsworth was found guilty of manslaughter and guilty of wounding. In court, Justice Derick Sylvester concluded that while Longsworth admitted to hitting Mark, he claimed that he never caused the injuries that led to his death. But after careful consideration of the crown’s evidence, including that of the children’s mother, a neighbor who testified to Longsworth admitting to her that he beat the children that day, and two doctors’ testimony, Justice Sylvester ruled that Longsworth caused the injuries. Furthermore, Justice Sylvester noted in his ruling that while Longsworth did not intend to kill Mark Teul he lied, and because no evidence could prove his intent was to murder, he was found guilty of manslaughter. Justice Sylvester further concluded that the evidence provided was not convincing enough to link Longsworth to injuries that the other stepson sustained. During the trial, one doctor testified saying that the injuries observed on him were old injuries and not recent. Longsworth, who gave sworn testimony from the witness box, said he ended the relationship with the children’s mother and that is when she got mad and took out her anger on the kids and beat them up. He blamed the child’s mother for the injuries her two children sustained and the death of her son, though one witness had testified to seeing him beating the deceased child with a stick the day he died. Notably, Justice Sylvester did point out that based on the findings of two doctors, the children were being abused prior to January tenth, 2020 and that it was sad to see that they were kept in such an environment.
He Killed his Stepson and Was Found Not Guilty of Murder
Kenrick Longsworth, charged with the murder of his 3-year-old stepson Mark Teul and the attempted murder of Mark’s siblings, Zemar and Markeem Teul, has been found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Additionally, he was found guilty of wounding Zemar but not guilty of wounding Markeem.
Justice Derick Sylvester of the High Court ruled that while Longsworth admitted to striking Mark, he did not cause the fatal injuries intentionally. The decision followed extensive evidence, including testimonies from the children’s mother, police, a neighbor, and two doctors. Despite Longsworth’s defense blaming the children’s mother, the judge concluded that Longsworth inflicted the injuries leading to Mark’s death, resulting in a manslaughter conviction.
The judge noted the children had been abused before January 10, 2020.