Crime - Channel 5 Belize

Orange Walk Taxi Driver Murdered in Trial Farm

Orange Walk police are investigating the murder of fifty-one-year-old taxi driver Romualdo Vasquez, who was stabbed to death on Wednesday night. The incident happened around 8:30 PM on West San Martin Street, not far from a new police substation in Trial Farm Village. Police are still figuring out the motive and are exploring a few possibilities as they try to find the killer. Meanwhile, the murder has deeply affected his fellow taxi drivers at the bus terminal taxi stand. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Edward Garnett, Friend of Deceased

“Ih shock mi last night actually. Wa next taxi driver call mi. I mi done deh eena bed already and the taxi man call mi and seh, “Boy, hear weh happen, such and such incident, noh.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

Food vendor Edward Garnett and Romualdo Vasquez had been friends for years, but on Wednesday night, that friendship was tragically cut short. This is the fence on West San Martin Street in Trial Farm Village, Orange Walk, where the Volkswagen Jetta driven by Romualdo Vasquez crashed after being stabbed in the throat. The fifty-one-year-old taxi driver was reportedly taking the passenger to a location in the area when he was fatally injured. After being attacked, Vasquez tried to get out of the vehicle but collapsed and died. Today, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams shared what investigators have learned so far about the incident.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Police were called to this area late last night or early this morning. Upon arrival, they encountered a vehicle that crashed, I think into a building or a tree, and inside the vehicle was the lifeless body of a male person that exhibited stab wounds. The body was taken to the hospital where it was pronounced dead on arrival. Information so far is that the deceased was in the company of some person in the same vehicle and that person may have inflicted the injuries to him and then flee the vehicle and went about his business. So, police are currently actively investigating that matter with a view to see if we’ll be able to identify the person who flee from the vehicle after the incident occurred.”

Investigators are uncertain what preempted the fatal stabbing.

Chester Williams

“It can either be a case of robbery or a case of maybe two friends arguing. We don’t know who the person is that was in the vehicle with him at the time he escaped. So, we’ll have to find out who that person is that we’ll be able to arrive at a more definitive motive.”

Marion Ali

Is anything missing?

Chester Williams

“I don’t think so.”

Police later found the suspected murder weapon, a stainless-steel knife, after canvassing the area. Edward Garnett told News Five that he thinks the killing might have been a robbery and urged for more surveillance cameras in key areas.

Edward Garnett

“Yoh nuh know who da who. Maybe they never get a chance to take the man’s belongings – the lee bit ah money weh ih work hard fa.”

Marion Ali

“Do you think it was a robbery?”

Edward Garnett

“I believe ih cudda be a robbery because things tough right now, you know, but we need to put some more security out on corners and so like cameras, ih help wa lot.”

Garnett said that he counted on Vasquez’s taxi service to transport his food to the bus terminal where they both worked.

Edward Garnett

“He da the one weh goh pick up and do all my runs most of the time when my official taxi man nuh available. He nuh cut his style. He say, “Bwai, let’s go. Sometimes some taxi man will tell him, “Bwai, goh pick up the tamales fi mi. That thing too heavy, I can’t lift it up and put it in the car.” He nuh waste no time. He seh right away, you know, you’re ready fi assist. Da wa very cool guy.”

Vasquez was part of the Community Taxi Service, located outside the bus terminal in Orange Walk Town. His colleague, Justin Chan, worked alongside him at the taxi stand. Chan mentioned that they had their differences, but today, the atmosphere at the taxi stand just wasn’t the same.

Voice of: Justin Chan, Friend of Deceased

“Yes, we had wi differences eena terminal because we think different noh but we used to care good, good. He used to be a person – he deh deh for his family. Ih lee gial dehn hours you mi wa see ah right ya di feed the baby. One o’clock, he ker ah da school back. I feel fi the lee gial, ih wife and thing, because he da man weh work the last bus ya and then from deh he goh home. We feel it because Mr Vasquez, every day we deh together from eight o’clock to five-thity, six.”

Chan mentioned that the murder of his friend has changed the working hours for all the taxi drivers at the terminal because they’re now worried about their safety.

Voice of: Justin Chan

“Right now we di try neem work da night. We nuh wa work da night. Wi nuh wa mess wid that because we can’t trust nobody right now. You don’t know who might want to hurt you. So, now we di try to plan. We neem want work da night again. No calls da night. Maybe if da yoh customer weh yoh really trust, yoh maybe do it but somebody who just cll yoh like that, cho.”

Edward Garnett shared that just an hour before he was killed, Vasquez gave him some lasting advice.

Edward Garnett

“Mi son usually come help mi lock up shop and soh, soh he said, “Bwai I nuh want she it behind your back, I wa she it right front ah yoh son.” He said, “talk to him, bwai because yoh son ride da bicycle crazy and he could get hurt.” So I tell ah, “Bwai, thanks fi tell me,” right in front ah my son. And I start tell mi son about it, you know, about the bicycle weh he could get hurt, you know, if he ride that bike too wild out deh.”

Marion Ali

“That was the last time you saw him?”

Edward Garnett

“Just last night. That’s why it was so shocking to me to hear the news.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Graves of Michael Whitaker & Aaron Tun Desecrated

The graves of two Belizean men found in Chetumal, Quintana Roo on Saturday morning were desecrated between Wednesday night and this afternoon. Michael Whitaker’s casket was opened, and his body was defiled. This morning, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shared what he knew about the incident. He mentioned that Aaron Tun’s grave was tampered with, and it looked like someone had poured gasoline on his tomb and tried to set it on fire. On Monday, Williams told reporters that investigators were sure that the previous murder of another Belizean, Raheem Usher, discovered a week ago, was committed by locals and that they had good leads on the suspects. He added that two of those suspects are also dead. Incidentally, all three men were laid to rest on Wednesday. Earlier today, Williams said they were investigating the desecration of the two graves.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Police visited the grave site this morning and they saw the grave was disturbed. The body was exhumed and a check of the body revealed that the skull is missing, so that’s the matter the police are looking at this time.”

Reporter

“And the second young man?”

Chester Williams

“The second young man from what I was told, he was not dug up, but they had bore some hole on the tomb and had tried to light it fire. That’s what I was told about the other one.”

Reporter

“ComPol, this is definitely a sign. What kind of sign would the police department take this as?”

Chester Williams

“Obviously, there is someone who is trying to send a message. I don’t know how dead they want these men to be dead, but it’s something we’re looking at.”

Gion “Gizmo” Bernard Shot Dead

This morning in Belize City, Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard, who was wheelchair-bound, was shot and killed right outside his home. The thirty-nine-year-old had just left his yard on Castle Street in his wheelchair when he was ambushed and shot. Bernard collapsed and died on the spot. Despite numerous run-ins with the law, those close to him say he had been trying to turn his life around, especially after a gunshot wound years ago left him paralyzed from the waist down. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene shortly after the murder and filed this report.

Voice of: Landlady

“Since he get shot and get paralyzed, he nuh really get eena trouble. Everybody know Gizmo da nuh a threat to nobody.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard moved into the lower flat of his landlady’s house about a month ago, coming from Orange Walk. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that while he had a bit of a temper, he wasn’t a troublesome person.

Voice of: Landlady

“Even if he and somebody wudda ketch in an argument, yes ih wa got wa lee hard talk, but at the end ah the day, before the hard talk done, Gizmo done come back and apologize and everything straight with you and he again.”

‘Gizmo’, a father of three adult children, was charged in 2012 with the attempted murder of Jermaine ‘Horse’ Garnett and had several other encounters with the law. A few years ago, a gunshot wound left him paralyzed. A friend who saw him just hours before his murder mentioned that Bernard was well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood.

Voice of Friend of Deceased

“He da neva wa fearful person, whereby at the end of the day, if somebody want to do he something, he nuh was stay eena ih house, even though he in a wheelchair, you understand me?”

Marion Ali

“And he started to use a wheelchair because of an accident?”

Voice of Friend

“As far as I remember, he got shot in his spinal cord. So, he end up in a wheelchair, you know. But again, like I said, I wouldn’t know what really happened, but he da my friend, you know. And he da wa friend to a lot of people around the neighborhood where he live. Can’t talk nothing bad about him. He was a good friend to a lot of people around the neighborhood.”

The friend shared a voice message with us, claiming it was sent by Gizmo just before he was murdered.

Voice of Friend

“He messaged, voice noted me this morning and tell me, say, “Hey, mek will link up and take wa two drink.” Well, I a nuh wa drinker like that, so, at the end of the day, I tell ah, “Boy, me nuh into da drinking right now. That was that and probably mussy wa couple hours after that, I come out of my yard and somebody say somebody get shot pon the street ya. When we come out, the man got ih face pan the tar. He da somebody weh just like relax and probably just deh pon the block and whosoever know ah might stop and give ah wa lee hand-out or whatever and he take wa drink or two. He cool with everybody and he da always respect yoh. Ih call me old school.”

Police are investigating this latest homicide. Marion Ali for News Five.

K.H.M.H. Worker and Boyfriend Busted for Kept Ammunition

Tonight, a couple is behind bars after police found thirty-four live rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition in their home during a shooting investigation. The suspects are forty-five-year-old K.H.M.H. employee Deborah Harris Sutherland and her twenty-year-old boyfriend, Dejon Medwood. This afternoon, they appeared in court without representation and were each charged with keeping ammunition without a gun license. The bullets were discovered hidden in a drum at their Mahogany Street home in Belize City. Medwood took full responsibility, claiming Sutherland knew nothing about the ammunition, and pleaded guilty. Despite this, the charge against Sutherland hasn’t been dropped, and both were remanded to Belize Central Prison pending sentencing on Friday, March seventh, 2025. Sutherland, who has asthma triggered by confined spaces, broke down in court. The Senior Magistrate explained she couldn’t grant bail but would note Sutherland’s condition for the prison authorities.

Cryptic Message Found with Raheem Usher’s Shackled Body

This morning, a gruesome discovery was made near a bridge in San Antonio Village, Orange Walk. The body of twenty-nine-year-old Raheem Usher was found in the Rio Hondo, je was handcuffed and wrapped in a sheet and covered in plastic. Raheem, a construction worker from Libertad Village, Corozal, had been missing since January twenty-fifth. His family had even offered a fifteen-thousand-dollar reward for any information on his whereabouts, but sadly, no leads came through. When his body was found, it came with a chilling message threatening those involved in, quote, bringing down planes with drugs, end quote. The message also mentioned a Corporal of Police at the Corozal Police Formation. Today, Senior Superintendent of Police Chris Noble, who leads that formation, shared with the media what they discovered.

Sr. Supt. Chris Noble, Commander, Northern Region

“A deceased male who has been confirmed to be the missing person from Libertad and he exhibited injury, the body exhibited injury and has been taken to the forensic lab.”

Reporter

“We have seen a photograph of a sheet with a very clear message written on it. It’s a threat really to members of your formation in Corozal.”

Sr. Supt. Chris Noble

“ I don’t know of any threats to the formation and whatever you have is what we have.”

Reporter

“One of the officers named in that message is a relative of the deceased and it’s saying that these things will happen – an end like this will befall these people because they’re involved in plane landings.”

Chris Noble

“In that case, I’ll say that police officers are to protect life and property, but I don’t know that training is done and for plane landings.”

Reporter

”In July of 2023, Usher’s older brother Curtis Usher was shot and killed. He was targeted by men who used high-power rifles, and initially, there was a narco element. Do police believe these two incidents may be connected?”

Chris Noble

“We can’t say that the incidents are connected because in 2023, when the relative was targeted that investigation was done and there may be a possibility of us looking at what that investigation was to carry us forward with this current one.”

Usher’s Sister Says Raheem Was Not Threatened

Meanwhile, Keixa Usher, the victim’s sister, told News Five that the family had no idea if he had been threatened or intimidated before he went missing in late January. She shared that her brother, a father of a five-year-old, would stay in Libertad when he found work in Corozal and then travel back to Hattieville to stay with their mom. Although the family is heartbroken by the discovery of his body, they are grateful to finally have some closure.

On the phone: Keixa Usher, Sister of Deceased

“We are trying to put our hearts at peace that at least we found him. At least they didn’t just throw him in the water because he was right by a river. At least we found the body and we can lay my brother to rest. That’s our greatest concern and that’s really all we are focusing on at the moment.”

Marion Ali

“Had he indicated at any time that his life was in danger or he was fearful of somebody trying to harm him?”

On the phone: Keixa Usher

“No ma’am, Rahim didn’t mention anything like that to me. I don’t know what the police are saying at the moment. I have no leads as it relates to them. I just know that the body was found this morning and identified by my dad.”

Elmer Nah Fires Godfrey Smith as His Attorney!

After Elmer Nah’s shocking motion in court to fire his attorney, Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, we haven’t been able to reach the lawyer he now claims is representing him—Trinidadian Peter Taylor. Taylor is currently back home and, according to the bombshell dropped by accused murderer Elmer Nah in the High Court, Smith is no longer his lawyer. When we arrived at the court this afternoon, the decision had already been made, as Smith was seen exiting the building through the back. When asked about the situation, Smith simply said that nothing was happening today and no adjournment date had been set, before quickly leaving. Minutes later, we discovered that just five minutes before Smith’s rapid exit, the case had been adjourned after Nah fired him. The matter is now set for a Case Management Conference on March thirteenth, 2025. In open court, Smith mentioned hearing rumors about his representation of Nah and sought clarification. Nah, appearing virtually from a cell at the Belize Central Prison, confirmed that he is now represented by attorney Peter Taylor and his team. If Peter Taylor’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he is also representing William “Danny” Mason in his kidnapping case, set for trial in late April. After getting clarification, Smith left the court, now knowing he is no longer representing Nah. The announcement shocked the court, including the judge, who allowed the adjournment and set the new date. Peter Taylor, who was called to the bar just a day earlier, made his first court appearance as Danny Mason’s attorney on January thirtieth, 2025. He was accompanied by a legal team that included senior research officer Eustace Warner and instructing attorney Nehanda Samuels. Despite several attempts to reach Taylor via email, we have not received any response from him up to news time.

Lengthy Prison Sentences Handed Down for Convicted Bank Robbers

This morning, Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola handed down sentences for three convicted bank robbers after considering their mitigation pleas overnight. Out of the five men accused, four were tried and convicted, but only three received their sentences today. Sentencing for George Meighan was postponed to March sixth, 2025. The men involved are Anthony Barrow, Jason McKenzie, Leon Westby, and George Meighan. The trio faced charges of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of possessing a firearm without a license, one count of possessing ammunition without a license, and two counts of aggravated assault on police constables Robert Sutherland and Robert Parchue. They also faced charges for damaging an ATM during the robbery. However, only Meighan and Barrow were found guilty of damaging the ATM. The charge of assaulting PC Robert Parchue was dropped because he didn’t testify. Anthony Barrow received a total sentence of twenty-one years and ten months. He was sentenced to twelve years for robbery, ten months for assaulting PC Robert Sutherland, one year for damaging the ATM, ten years for possessing a firearm without a license, and another ten years for possessing ammunition without a license. His sentences for firearm and ammunition charges will run consecutively. Jason McKenzie was sentenced to ten years for robbery, eight months for assaulting PC Robert Sutherland, and six years each for the firearm and ammunition charges. Leon Westby received seven years for robbery, six months for assaulting PC Robert Sutherland, and six years each for the firearm and ammunition charges. Their sentences for the firearm and ammunition charges will run concurrently with their other sentences.

Bank Robbers will Learn their Fate n Court

In July 2020, a group of men pulled off a daring daylight robbery at the Scotia Bank Belama Branch. They managed to escape with $34,572.33 in cash and cheques, but their getaway was cut short after a shootout with police, leading to the capture of four men linked to the heist. At the end of their trial, the men faced charges of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault on PC Robert Sutherland and PC Robert Parchue, possession of firearms and ammunition, and damage to property. However, they were acquitted of most charges, except for George Meighan, who was found not guilty of damage to property. The men were also acquitted of one count of aggravated assault on PC Robert Parchue, who never testified. The five men initially involved in the heist were Jason McKenzie, then 28; Leon Westby, then 24; George Meighan, then 17, now 22; Anthony Barrow, then 29; and the deceased Gasman Young, who was shot and later succumbed to his injuries. Last Friday, the men were found guilty of three charges, but their sentencing was delayed as the court awaited a Social Inquiry Report (SIR) for Meighan, who was only 17 at the time of the robbery. During the trial, only Westby had legal representation from attorney Ronell Gonzalez, while Meighan and McKenzie were unrepresented. Gonzalez requested a suspended sentence for Westby, highlighting that he is a first-time offender and a new father. Westby’s aunt, Lorraine Elaine Thurton, also spoke on his behalf, asking for leniency. McKenzie, who is awaiting a sentence for murder, asked the court to consider his role as a facilitator and teacher in prison. Meighan, a first-time offender and father of a 3-year-old, pleaded for leniency, citing his young age at the time of the crime and his role as the sole provider for his son. During the trial, PC Robert Sutherland, the only police witness, identified Meighan and Barrow but confused McKenzie and Westby. The families of the convicted men plan to appeal the conviction. In their defense, the men claimed they were at the scene in a boat but couldn’t explain why. Meighan’s father stated that his son was sent to the Seashore area for a fishing trip with Young and Barrow, who never showed up for the trial. Barrow is believed to have fled to the United States.

Why was Millionaire Boris Mannsfeld Murdered?

Police are still trying to determine a motive for the murder of American businessman Boris Mannsfeld, who was shot at the Cocoplum Villas in Placencia on Friday. Mannsfeld, a major real estate developer in Belize for the past two decades, primarily operated in Placencia. He was shot once in the back of the neck and found lying on the ground with his wallet and still-holstered firearm. While the motive remains unclear, Mannsfeld was involved in several fraud cases before the court, both as the accused and the accuser. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The murder of real estate mogul Boris Mannsfeld remains a mystery. On February twentieth, Mannsfeld returned to his beachside villa on the Placencia Peninsula, and by the next night, he was found dead on the front steps. Police believe this was a targeted attack, as Mannsfeld was involved in several high-profile legal battles. In 2024, Mannsfeld sent out emails to media houses across the country, detailing allegations of fraud schemes run by multiple colleagues in the industry, two of whom had been murdered. Several of these emails mention businessman Frik De Meyere, a former associate who severed ties with Mannsfeld in 2023. Mannsfeld accused De Meyere of using Boris Mannsfeld’s website to redirect customers to a separate page, allegedly stealing business. Within forty-eight hours of Mannsfeld’s death, De Meyere was picked up by police for questioning. Attorney Andrew Bennett provides some insight into his client’s ongoing legal dispute.

Andrew Bennett, Attorney-at-law

“Mr. De Meyere tendered his notice of resignation of partnership to Mr. Boris Mannsfeld. Unfortunately, occurring at the same time was the discovery of nonpayment of stamp duties on real estate transactions. This involved the firm of JC Consulting. And as a result of that, there was a further dispute. whereby Mr. Mannsfeld alleged misappropriation of funds by Mr. Frik De Meyere. That led to several lawsuits being filed in the court. We have provided a defense on behalf of Mr. De Meyere. We were going through several of them, but unfortunately, they have not really moved from pleadings In the claim 760 of 2023, which dealt with the allegation of funds being misappropriated by Frik, an application was made to appoint an expert auditor, Cedric Flowers. But as of today that did not move anywhere.”

De Meyere wasn’t the only colleague Mannsfeld accused of fraud. In another email, he detailed a land fraud plot that he claimed involved De Meyere, the late Ricardo Borja, and Darren Taylor. Mannsfeld alleged that the trio commissioned fake passports and bribed government officials to fast-track their scheme. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that these allegations have yet to be proven or disproven.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“For us to be able to investigate, the investigation needs to be triggered by somebody. If it were that there were passports that were fraudulently issued, then immigration would have come to the police and lodged a complaint, and then we would investigate. if it were that situations where, as I read what was posted by Mr. Mannsfeld of, I think it was tax stamp duty, stamp duty fraud. Again, we would need to get a complaint from the Ministry of Natural Resources stamp duty division or section on that matter so that we would be able to investigate. So our investigators are going to touch base certainly with the Ministry of Natural Resources on that issue and see if we will be able to get something from them to prove or dispel the allegations as outlined by Mr. Mannsfeld.”

While Mannsfeld told the media and his clients that he was about to blow the lid off a multimillion-dollar land fraud scheme, he was also facing several claims of unlawful business practices in court. Police Commissioner Chester Williams emphasized that investigators are not overlooking the complexity of this case and are exploring every possible motive.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police (File: February 24, 2024)

“ We’re also looking at the business transactions that Mr Mannsfeld may have with other individuals without being able to see if we will be able to close in on a possible motive and perhaps suspect. So at this time we don’t have much where that is concerned.”

On Monday, Bennett also shed light on the legal battle his client, Frik De Meyere, had along with Mannsfeld against the late Ricardo Borja. With Mannsfeld’s death, it’s uncertain how the legal proceedings will move forward, as they were scheduled to return to court today. De Meyere has since been released from police custody, but his phone, computer, and firearm have yet to be returned to him.

Andrew Bennett

“We coincidentally, we go to court tomorrow, that would have been another claim which involved the in terms of the stamp duties that Mr. Mannsfeld was alleging was misappropriated by J.C. consulting Ricardo Borja and he had joined Frik De Meyere in those proceedings. That would have been the hearing of an application for the appointment of somebody to represent the estate of Ricardo Borja. So at this point, everything now is in suspense. We will need directions from the court in terms of how it will move forward.”

More details to come as the story develops. Britney Gordon for News Five.