Crime - Channel 5 Belize

Belize City Woman is in Serious Trouble Over FB Scam

A woman, who used the name of Minister of Natural Resources Cordel Hyde on Facebook to scam a woman out of five hundred dollars, has been taken before the Belize City Magistrates Court. Thirty-seven-year-old Ada Ethel Toro is accused of obtaining property by deception. Toro appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate where she was read two counts of obtaining property by deception. She pled not guilty. Allegations are that on February twelfth and February thirteenth, Toro obtained three hundred and two hundred dollars, respectively, from Natalie Gotoy who claims she paid into an account belonging Toro in exchange for assistance in acquiring a business booth on Mahogany Street. But Gotoy said after she got a response from the person posing to be Minister Cordel Hyde to make the deposit, she later found out it was not the minister and so she reported the matter and requested court action. In a statement to Police, Minister Hyde indicated that he gave no such authorization for any business to be conducted on his behalf, nor did Toro work for his ministry. Furthermore, according to Hyde’s report, he never gave Toro permission to use his picture on any Facebook page. Toro was granted bail of one thousand dollars and is set to return to court on April twenty-second. But, when Toro met bail she could not go free because personnel from the Crimes Investigation Branch were outside the court waiting for her. She was once again detained and escorted to the Queen Street Police Station where further charges are expected to be levied against her. More victims of Toro’s alleged scam have surfaced and have made reports against her.

Three of Four Charges Dropped Against Men in May 2022 Shooting

In May 2022, two men, who had never been before the court on any criminal allegations, were charged in connection with a shooting incident that occurred outside of Icon Call Center. Those shots were fired into a vehicle that was being driven at the time by former Belize City Councilor Micah Goodin. As a result, Kenyon Tillett and Tarique James were arrested and slapped with four charges. But today, the crown withdrew three of those four charges leaving only one charge against the men. That is one count of discharging a firearm in public. Instead of the trial kicking off today, as was scheduled, the prosecutor informed the court that they will not be moving forward with the offenses of aggravated assault upon Tae Medina and Micah Goodin and one count of wounding upon Tae Medina. In court, Tillett and James’ attorney, Richard “Dickie” Bradley had issues with the prosecution wanting to proceed on the discharging a firearm charge because the alleged victims no longer wanted to take court action against his client. But the sitting Senior Magistrate told Bradley that it is the crown’s case and that she is prepared to commence the trial. The matter has been adjourned for a later date.

Chinese Businessman Remanded for Shooting Customer

Twenty-nine-year-old Wenjing Lei, a Chinese businessman, appeared before a Senior Magistrate earlier today where he was read two criminal offenses, including one count of use of deadly means of harm and one count of wounding. It is alleged that on February eighteenth, Reno Castillo was standing in front of Guan Fa Store along with another individual when an argument ensued between Castillo and the shopkeeper. According to the welder, during the exchange of words between himself and the grocer, Wenjing Lei, who was inside his uncle’s place of business, produced a firearm and fired a single shot which caught him in the foot. In court this morning, attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley appeared on Lei’s behalf, where he informed the court that the virtual complainant was present to address the matter. The Senior Magistrate explained that there was no such instruction to the court and briefly adjourned the matter. This afternoon, Lei’s attorney did not return to court and his client was subsequently told that since the allegation made against him involved the use of a firearm, he would not be granted bail. With that, Lei was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until March first, 2024. We understand that Castillo has provided an additional statement to police in which he requested no further court action, however, that information has not been forwarded to the court.

Psychiatric Evaluation Ordered for American National

An American National is to undergo a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation in order to have her plea taken in court. She is thirty-eight-year-old Adeola Lara Ade-Ekisola, who was brought to court after allegedly assaulting a police officer. The mother of three appeared in court this morning where she had to be forcibly restrained for her safety and that of the others in the room during her arraignment. According to Ade-Ekisola, she is currently unhoused in Belize. She also stated that she is fearful of returning to the U.S. because of a threat to her life there and is seeking refuge in Belize. She demanded to speak to the U.S. Embassy to which the magistrate stated that they will be making contact on her behalf. Not much more could be made out from her statement, as they verged on incoherent. The court ordered that she undergo the evaluation as she in unable to give a plea. Until then, she has been remanded to Belize Central Prison.

Belize City Man Shot Over $15 Dollars Debt

A Belize City man was shot on Friday night over fifteen dollars that he reportedly owed. Reports are that Eugene Thompson was at his home in Belama Phase Five when a man known to him as Hubert Paqiul arrived at his house and told him that he came to collect the fifteen dollars owed. According to Thompson, he told Paqiul that he will pay him the following day, but Paqiul refused to leave. Thompson told police that he then went back inside to get some money for Paqiul. He alleges that when he returned to give Paqiul the money, twenty-seven-year-old Victor Parham fired one shot at him. According to Thompson, he ran back inside his house and jumped out of his room window to hide in a nearby bushy area until police arrived.

Police later detained Parham and Paqiul. Both of the accused men were arraigned in court today. Parham was charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm. Paqiul was charged for the crime of abetment to commit murder. No plea was taken from them. Due to the nature of the offense, they were denied bail and remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until April nineteenth.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Friday the eighteenth day of February, 2024 around nine fifty p.m. police responded to a shooting at Belama phase 5. Upon arrival they saw Eugene Thompson with gunshot injuries to the body. He was taken to the KHMH where he was listed in a stable condition. Investigation reveals that Eugene Thompson was at his yard at the address when two male people came and fired at him. Two persons have been detained and arrested and charged, namely Victor Parham and Hubert Paqiul. Victor Parham was charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and Hubert Paqiul was charged for the crime of abetment to commit murder.”

Man Shot During Altercation with Chinese Business Owner

A Belize City man was shot outside a grocery store on Sunday afternoon in Belama Phase two. According to police, thirty-nine-year-old Reno Castillo was socializing in front of the store when he got into an argument with the proprietor. Police say the nephew of the owner pulled out a licensed firearm and shot Castillo to the leg.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday the eighteenth day of February 2024 at three p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at a store in Belama. Upon arrival they found Reno Castillo with gunshot injury to the foot. Investigation is that Castillo was at the store outside when there was an altercation and at some point a Chinese national that was at the store fired one shot that caught Castillo to the foot. He was taken o the KHMH, treated and released. One person is in police custody pending investigation into this report.”

High Speed Police Chase and Shootout in Hattieville

A high-speed police chase on the Burrell Boom Road led to a shootout between police and a group of men. Police officers had erected a checkpoint on the George Price Highway after receiving information that there were individuals onboard a public bus carrying a firearm. Officers later set chase after a white Geo Prism sought to evade the checkpoint. The vehicle reportedly made an abrupt stop near the Belize Central Prison. One person exited the car and began shooting at the officers. The officers immediately returned fire, says ACP Hilberto Romero.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“Hattieville Police were pursuing a white car on the Boom road. Somewhere along the prison area the car stopped and a male person came out the car firing shots towards the police mobile. There was an exchange of gun fire and thereafter the person got back into the car and they fled from the area. Police continued to chase and lost the vehicle somewhere on the Boom bridge area. The police vehicle received damages to the bonnet and the windshield. The car left the area and we did not locate it.”

Steven Diaz is Charged for OW Baker’s Murder

Twenty-two-year-old Steven Diaz is tonight in police custody after handing in himself in the presence of an attorney. On Tuesday, we reported that the Orange Walk resident was wanted in connection with the murder of nineteen-year-old Joshua Ku which occurred in the predawn hours of February eleventh. Ku, a baker of Orange Walk Town, was at an establishment on Saturday night when he reportedly left in the company of several individuals, including Diaz. It was not until the following night that family and friends grew concerned when Ku did not return home from the nightclub. A search party was immediately dispatched in an attempt to find him alive. It was not until Monday afternoon that Ku’s lifeless body was found near a dirt road in the vicinity of Rhaburn Ridge. He had been fatally stabbed and dumped in a secluded area. Steven Diaz has since been arrested and charged for Ku’s murder.

Cameron Hemsley Murdered in Ladyville

A man was shot dead early this morning in Ladyville. He has been identified as twenty-one-year-old Cameron Hemsley, a known street figure of the same community. Hemsley was released from the Belize Central Prison on February second, for a robbery that is still before the Magistrate’s Court. He was shot in the Kwam Street area and ran into a yard where he collapsed and died. His body was discovered this, morning beside a house, where he apparently ran to escape the gunfire; however, he had already been mortally injured. News Five’s Marion Ali was in Ladyville today and put together the following report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This is the location behind this residence at the corner of Seagull and Kwam streets in Ladyville, where twenty-one-year-old Cameron Hemsley drew his last breath this morning, before one o’clock. He had apparently sought refuge here when eight gunshots rang out. Hemsley ran into the yard and collapsed. The occupant of the house told News Five that he heard the gunshots, and a few seconds later he heard laboured breathing for a short while outside his house near a window. The man said that he thought that it was an opossum because not long ago, stray dogs had mauled one of these animals and it was breathing heavily before it died.

This morning, after the shots were fired, residents said that dogs were barking incessantly. But no one went to investigate what had really happened and it was not until the occupant of the house opened his window and looked outside that he saw Hemsley’s body beside his house. While no one in the immediate area was willing to talk on record, this incident has left them spooked. Two of Hemsley’s acquaintances did share with us off-camera, different perspectives of the same person. One of his friends, a woman who did not wish to share her name, was shocked by the incident.

Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley

“I surprised when I hear this morning that they kill her, you know, it was very surprising because I never believe they want to kill her, cause he well known a lady villain, everybody hang with her, soh ih very surprising. He did crimes, but not concerning people, nuh like that. He mi cool, da wa cool young man.”

But Hemsley’s other friend who also spoke with us off-camera, said the killing came as no surprise to him.

Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley

“He choose a life deh. That da neva pahn we.”

Marion Ali

”What kind of life yoh di talk bout?”

Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley

“Street, and you know the street is gonna eat you up after a while. There’s a lot of things. A lotta people mi want get the man. One time he was good; we tried to help him, but we can’t help him no more. We told him that when he come from jail last time.”

According to court reports, Cameron Hemsley was in fact, facing a trial for robbery. He was out on bail which he had secured just twelve days ago while awaiting the trial to begin, when he was shot dead. In 2019, he was charged with two counts of robbery with a firearm and one count of aggravated assault for pulling a gun on a police officer. Police are investigating the incident. Marion Ali for News Five.

Attempted Murder Charges Withdrawn By Complaint

In 2023, twenty-eight-year-old Howard Reyes was charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, aggravated assault with a firearm and wounding, following a shooting incident in Saint Paul’s Bank. Today, the Burrell Boom car dealer is a free man after his last two charges were dropped by the virtual complainant, James Perry, who requested that no further court action be taken against Reyes. According to Reports, Perry had been walking home when a gray Chevrolet Equinox drove up beside him and someone inside the vehicle fired several shots, injuring Perry. Due to the nature of the offenses, Reyes was denied bail at the time and was remanded to the Belize Central Prison. However, Reyes was later granted bail in late 2023 by the High Court and now, in light of the complainant’s request, the remaining charges of wounding and deadly means of harm were dropped and Reyes was set free.