Death - Channel 5 Belize

Father of Five Killed by Aggressive Wild Pig in Gales Point

A tragic incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in Gales Point Village where a father of five lost his life after confronting a wild pig. Anton Andrewin was in his yard, enjoying time with friends, when the hungry animal appeared. He tried to shoo it away, but the pig turned aggressive. Its tusk cut Andrewin’s leg, severing an artery, which proved fatal. Today, the village chairman, Jason Altschaft, is urging animal owners to follow the law and prevent their pets from roaming freely. It’s illegal for animals to wander in public spaces. In this case, the pig’s owner had a history of trouble; he was involved in a fatal stabbing incident back in January. After moving out of the village, his pig became wild, searching for food until Sunday when it fatally injured Andrewin. The pig was then put down. Marion Ali reports.

Michelle Andrewin, Wife of Deceased

“The pig charge the third time and he jump back and I didn’t realize that he was bitten or cut or anything. And Mr. Web say, “Shelly, the pig bite the man,” and when I look, he was there coming and the blood was running down. Ih had on a long pants, the blood was running on his leg. (Sobbing) He came here, he reached here and he collapsed. The man catch him in his arms and I pulled his boxers down and there was a big cut.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

Michelle Andrewin shared the heartbreaking experience she went through on Saturday afternoon in Gales Point Village. She watched in horror as her husband, Anton Andrewin, suffered a fatal cut to his leg. The forty-six-year-old father of five was sitting with Michelle and a few friends in their yard, enjoying some drinks, when a stray pig wandered in. Anton tried to chase it away, but the pig turned aggressive and attacked him. This wasn’t the first time the pig had hurt Anton while he was trying to shoo it away, Michelle said.

Michelle Andrewin

“I was sitting here and we were having a conversation and laughing and everything, and then the pig came in the yard and was at the back of the yard over there. And he went after the pig and the dog went after the pig, and he went after the pig and it was not the first time that he get in contact with that pig. That pig hurt him more than once. He was like stoning the pig and the pig was aggressive and I was shouting. I said, “Tinny” left da pig, left da pig, da pig wa bite yoh. That’s why I’m screaming from here.”

After her husband was wounded, Michelle Andrewin tried to stop the bleeding by tying a piece of cloth around his leg. She then rushed him to the Southern Regional Hospital, but he went limp before they arrived. The cut had severed a major artery, causing him to bleed out. When the villagers heard the tragic news, they hunted down the pig and killed it. Village chairman Jason Altschaft said he helped euthanize the animal, and the villagers then sacrificed it.

Jason Altschaft, Chairman, Gales Point Village

“When we had heard that he didn’t make it, that’s when I went back over to the family and I found out that they were chasing down the pig. I’d heard them – when I went back to go get my license firearm, I could hear them chasing the pig, and the pig was squealing. So as I got there, we put it down.”

But how will the Gales Point Village Council ensure that animal owners take responsibility and prevent their pets from roaming freely around the village?

Jason Altschaft

“Ultimately, it comes down to the owner’s responsibility. I mean, when it comes down to the law. That’s the facts. So if nobody wants to get charged, they’re gonna have to deal with this right away. I believe there’s a code that doesn’t really allow pigs in a village for several reasons. And I think we just learned one of the main ones besides disease. So those laws are in place for a reason.”

Marion Ali

“What’s the owner of the pig saying?”

Jason Altschaft

“So we haven’t actually talked to him. He’s not in the village at the moment. He was having some issues with being in the village. So he hadn’t been here for months, so, the pig had just become what we call feral. He’d become wild.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero says the police are investigating the incident.

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

“Investigation revealed that Anton Andrewin was at Gales Point when he went to chase a pig that was causing or eating his plants. The pig attacked him and he received an injury. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.”

Reporter

“Is there a law or something that governs this type of thing, that it’s possible the owner of the pig might be in breach?”

A.C.P Hilberto Romero

“An investigation will be carried out and we will have the results at the end of the investigation.”

Mertle Altschaft, who is related to Anton Andrewin, prayed that his passing would bring the village closer together, something he had always hoped for.

Mertle Altschaft, Cousin of Deceased

“He wanted us to unite, to live in unity, everybody that – this one don’t talk that one. This one don’t – he wanted that to stop. He wanted us to live with peace, love, understanding, and forgiveness in our heart. Each and individual. He touch their life in some way and whatever way he touch your life, he asking you to remember the good things, not the bad things.”

Michelle Andrewin shared that the pain of losing her husband cuts as deeply as the pig’s tusk that took his life.

Michelle Andrewin

“I’m trying to be strong. I’m trying my best. I’m trying my best. I don’t know how I’m feeling right now. I’m trying my best to be okay.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Canadian National Falls to Death at Watermark Hotel in San Pedro

Chaos erupted in San Pedro over the weekend after two tragic incidents where people fell to their deaths. On Sunday, a Canadian national was found dead after a fall at the Watermark Hotel. Reports say that forty-seven-year-old Loran Radchenko was socializing in a room on the third floor of the hotel into the early hours of Sunday morning. He was discovered at the bottom of the building just before eight a.m. The Watermark Hotel issued a statement expressing condolences to Radchenko’s grieving friends and family. They reaffirmed their commitment to the well-being, comfort, and care of all guests. The hotel also stated, “We are fully supporting local authorities as they review the circumstances surrounding the incident. To honor the privacy of those involved, we will not be providing additional details at this time. We believe it’s important to acknowledge that emotional health is an essential part of overall well-being. If you or someone you know needs support, resources are available”. Here’s ACP Hilberto Romero with the official report.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday twenty-seventh day of April, 2025, around eight twenty A.M., police responded to the discovery of a body outside of the Watermark Hotel in San Pedro. Upon the arrival, they saw the lifeless body of a male person with head injuries. He was later identified as Lauren Radchenko. A Canadian national information is that Loran was staying at the hotel for the night then his body was discovered in the yard outside of the room. An investigation is being carried out. Several persons have been brought in for interview.”

Reporter

“Was he in the company or prior?”

Hilberto Romero

“Yes, we have information that he was in the company of other persons at the room but the left sometime during the night.”

Reporter

“Had they been drinking?”

Hilberto Romero

“Yes. That’s the information we have yesterday had been drinking.”

Reporter

“Any surveillance footage?”

Hilberto Romero

“Yes, there is surveillance footage that is being reviewed and the investigation continues.”

Man Dies After Being Stung by Killer Bees

Tonight, a family in Toledo is heartbroken after Jafy Perez, a father of three, was tragically killed by a swarm of bees on Monday. Perez, originally from San Pedro, Colombia, lived and worked in Caye Caulker but had returned to Toledo to spend Easter with his family. While helping out with a cleaning job on a farm, he stumbled upon a bees’ nest. Perez tried to escape but fell and was fatally stung. We spoke with his mother-in-law, Theodora Perez, for more details.

On the Phone: Theodora Coc, Mother-in-law of Deceased

“ He was working in Caye Caulker as a mechanic, but he come because Eastern now also he come with the family here with us. He was just staying with us and them everything was okay, but due to one of her sister need help, so he said, I heard this woman have jobs, so better. I go try and do a day work for myself once my sister need help. I wouldn’t do that, but, she is always disturbing with me and me for some money. So better I get a day job. That’s something for me. And if it do interesting, then I can stay here and work with those people and I stop go to that side because they said I have it good because I don’t have to pay rent and I will be with my family. That’s what he said. The African bees have attacked them on the way I think, where they’re working. Not too hard, but maybe by mistake they get that. And that’s when we hear that he did.”

Britney Gordon

“Was this Monday afternoon or Monday evening?”

Theodora Coc

“Monday afternoon, I think about three o’clock. There’s nothing that I can say about him. Because there’s no one with us. He’s the only man come with us because we are there by ourself. I am a single mother too. So she is here with my daughter and her with his three kids.”

Britney Gordon

“Okay. Are you guys asking for any sort of assistance with his funeral or stuff like that?”

Theodora Coc

“Yes. Yes, because right now he doesn’t have anything. And with the three kids, one is six, the other one is three, and the smallest one is one.”

Perez’s family can be contacted on the number six-seven-two-seven -nine-eight-two.

Was Body of Missing Dangriga Fisherman Found?

Last Thursday, a woman shared her family’s deep concern when her brother, thirty-three-year-old Jeremy Mushlar, went missing while fishing alone near Tobacco Caye on Tuesday night. Mushlar had traveled to the small island to fish with three others who were in a separate boat. When they decided to return due to poor fishing luck, Mushlar reportedly chose to stay out longer in his dorey. He has not been seen since. Today, the family’s hopes were further crushed with the news that an unidentified body had been discovered. A.C.P. Romero stated that the body has yet to be identified.

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

“On Saturday, 18th of April, 2025, Dangriga Police respond to a report that a body of a person was found east of Dangriga by Thatch Caye. Police responded where they saw the decomposed body of a male person. The body was taken to the morgue and is now awaiting a postmortem examination. Also we’re trying to establish the identity of this person.”

Britney Gordon

“What condition was the body in? Were there any injuries?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“No injuries were observed, but we are awaiting the post-mortem examination.”

Britney Gordon

“And around what age is this person?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“I cannot say. That will be determined by the postmortem.”

Reporter

“When is that postmortem be conducted?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“Sometime this week.”

Was Santiago Garcia Killed Over a Girl?

Tonight, a family is crying out for justice after Santiago Garcia was tragically stabbed to death on Sunday night. The twenty-year-old truck driver from Pomona Village was with his stepfather, Jason Sharp, reportedly trying to buy cannabis when they were attacked. Sharp sustained fatal injuries in the assault. News Five’s Britney Gordon brings us the full story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

On Sunday night, just before nine p.m., twenty-year-old Santiago Garcia got a call from his stepfather, Jason Sharp, asking for a ride. Garcia agreed and drove him to a nearby neighborhood in Pomona Village. Unfortunately, just moments after they arrived, they were attacked, and Garcia was fatally stabbed.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander. Eastern Division

“On Sunday, police responded to a report of his stabbing at the Southern Regional Hospital. Upon the arrival, they saw the lifeless body of San Santiago Garcia with stabs wounds. Shortly thereafter, two other persons arrive for treatment. Namely Jason Sharp and Kenroy Smith. Information received is, Santiago Garcia and Jason Sharp went to the residence of Smith to purchase cannabis. There was an altercation between them. A fight started at which point Smith took out a knife and inflicted the injuries to both persons and investigation has had been carried out on this file had been sent to the DPP for directives.”

Garcia’s sister, Mellissa Lemus, who was celebrating her birthday on the day her brother tragically passed away, shared that he was simply doing a favor for his stepfather. He had no idea about the danger that was waiting for them.

Mellissa Lemus, Sister of Deceased

“He was in his room laying down when he received a call from Jason that Jason wanted him to pick him up where he was, and after that, he wanted to take him to a place where they sell weed. So my brother because he worked with my brother, he try to help him in everything he can. So he did what Jason Sharp wanted him to do. After that, then he see this person just came through the back and hurt him with a knife. But as we see my brother’s body, he had bite. He also had another cut on his hand and his face was bruised.”

ACP Hilberto Romero explains that an argument broke out between the parties, resulting in Garcia’s fatal injuries. However, according to Lemus, the perpetrator has had intentions of hurting her brother for about a year.

Mellissa Lemus

“We know that it was a threat from years ago because my brother was a good person, right? He worked at CPBL and whenever he come home and he see people by the bump side waiting for bus or anything and he’s not bringing my mother, he would bring someone with him. It looked like he started to bring on this person, lady. The person was very jealous of it, and he was telling other people that he would do something to my brother.”

Both Sharp and Garcia received stab wounds and were taken to the hospital, where Sharp is still recovering. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams explains that Smith handed himself over to the police shortly after the incident transpired.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“The guy Smith is the one who actually took the other two the hospital for treatment. And following that, he went and surrendered himself to the police in, and explained to the police what had transpired.”

Lemus shared that her brother’s death has been incredibly tough on their mother. Already in poor health and dealing with another recent loss in the family, and this tragedy has hit her especially hard.

Mellissa Lemus

“Someone came here in the car and told her that my brother has passed, he’s hurt and he’s passed away, and she didn’t believe it. She called. She called me, and that’s when I realized that something happened because she was very sad, crying, screaming.”

Santiago is remembered for his kindness and ability to make connections with strangers. He was constantly surrounded by friends and family who loved and supported him.

Mellissa Lemus

“If he would see you on the street, he would hail you talk to you. I could tell you he’s a loving, loving person. He loved me so much. That’s why I was like this to him. He needed something and there, and whenever he needed help, he had other friends. He had Eddie from Cayo. He had so many other people. We had a good girlfriend that he always talk about that live in Benque, and we believe that what happened, we just want justice because he was a kind person.”

At just twenty years old, Garcia had big dreams of honing his skills as a truck driver and dedicating his life to taking care of his mother and family. Now, his family is calling for justice for Santiago and for all those who loved him.

Mellissa Lemus

“I don’t understand why they would have done that to him. It just hurt us because my grandfather has already passed March the twelfth, and we receive a bad news end of month, nearly end of month. March thirtieth, which was my birthday. It was a very big shock. Like I told you, he had many plans. A part of that right? Building my mom a big house, making her stop work. He promised my mom that he would stay with her forever because it was only him and my mom at the house.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Families of Three Deceased Tourists Issue Release

The families of the three young women who tragically passed away in their suite at the Royal Kahal Resort in San Pedro have spoken out following the lab test results. Twenty-three-year-old Kaoutar Naqqad, twenty-four-year-old Imane Mallah, and twenty-six-year-old Wafae El Arar were found dead on February twenty-second in their resort suite. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the families shared that officials from the U.S. Embassy in Belize informed them that their loved ones died from acute carbon monoxide poisoning, likely due to a faulty instant water heater. From the beginning, the families strongly opposed the idea that their loved ones had died from a drug overdose. They are urging Belizean authorities to continue their investigation to ensure that others who may have been affected at the same hotel are informed about what happened. In their statement, the families expressed their heartbreak over the loss of these three bright lights in their world. They were relieved by the thorough and independent investigation results and are awaiting a separate review by authorities in Massachusetts. The families had always believed the deaths were suspicious and raised concerns about initial media reports. They hope the official findings will make law enforcement more cautious in future investigations. The families are calling on Belizean authorities to continue their investigative work to provide a full accounting of what happened and how the investigation was handled by officials and hotel management. During a press briefing on Wednesday, Director of the National Forensic Science Service, Gian Cho, elaborated on the findings of the toxicology report.

Gian Cho, Director, National Forensics Science Service

“The family has already received the toxicology results through the Embassy, and we have provided a copy of the report to them as well because the way the sample collection for toxicology works, you really only get one go at collecting samples from the autopsy. And the autopsy was conducted in Belize. So, we do have a small amount of samples retained if the family member would want to request those samples for their independent testing, which we have already communicated through the embassy. But because we have used one of the ISO accredited labs in the U.S. that a lot of the medical examiner’s offices in the US use as well, the toxicology reports that we just shared with them would conceivably be what they would’ve obtained through their U.S. Medical Examiner process.”

Carbon Monoxide is Responsible for Deaths of 3 American Visitors

A toxicology report has confirmed that carbon monoxide poisoning caused the deaths of three American women found in their hotel room at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The tragic discovery of Kaoutar Naqqad, Imane Mallah, and Wafae El Ararwas was made on February 22. Since then, investigators have been working hard to determine what happened. The women were on vacation from Massachusetts. After the shocking discovery, their families demanded answers from local authorities, including the Belize Police Department. Earlier today, the results were shared with their loved ones, revealing the silent killer that claimed their lives.

Gian Cho, Director, National Forensics Science Service

“So we received the toxicology results for the deaths of the three US nationals from the hotel in San Pedro. We received those results today. The testing took, I believe, about three weeks, more or less, from the time the laboratory received the samples. And the results came back today which we shared with the medical examiners because they will need the toxicology results so as to update the cause of death. If you recall, the cause of death was written as acute pulmonary edema due to pending toxicology and histology. So the medical examiner has received the report so they can revise or update the cause of death. The police department’s case officer has received it as well and before we scheduled this interview, we also made sure that the family received the toxicology results as well through the US Embassy which has been acting as the liaison. And we did a comprehensive toxicology screening which is why it took a bit longer than the two weeks that we were anticipating that it would take. As the commissioner mentioned to you previously, when we requested the toxicology analysis, we asked them to expedite the testing and because we asked for several different tests to be done it’s not uncommon for sometimes the results to take longer than the time that the lab gives. So we were screening for all commonly encountered illicit drugs, pharmaceutical medications, we also screened for carbon monoxide, as well as volatile gases.”

Tourist Mauled to Death on Snorkeling Tour

A tragic boating accident claimed the life of a seventy-year-old tourist on Sunday while snorkeling near Turneffe Atolls. Commissioner Williams pointed out that this unfortunate incident could have been avoided. The tourists were in a designated area marked for their activity, and the approaching boat captain should have seen the markers and steered clear but failed to do so. Williams believes that the captain should face charges for causing death by careless conduct, at the very least.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“A group of tourists were snorkeling in the area of Turneffe. From my understanding is that the area where they were snorkeling, the tour guides had the area marked off as they would normally do to indicate that there is activity taking place there. And a boat came from nowhere and just ran through the place at very high speed and ran over the tourist causing the tourist’s death. The boat captain is currently in police custody. The investigators and personnel and the Port Authority went out to the scene this morning. They should be returning sometime this evening, but from what I am seeing, I’m not going to be the one to determine. If the boat captain is to be charged or not, but from what I am seeing based on what has been told to me, that is a clear case of causing debt, backyard conduct. I think at the very least the boat captain should be charged for causing debt, backyard conduct. It is common knowledge to all of these tour operators that when you see certain things in the waters as markers, you have to avoid those areas because people are either diving or snorkeling there and the tour operators who took out the tourists discharged their responsibility by making sure that they had marked out the place to indicate to any boat that would come in the area, that that is an area where, uh, people are diving or snorkeling. So this boat captain, who was not a part of that tour operator had to have seen the markers as an indication that he should not have gone through that area. So at the very least for me, I see man causing death by careless conduct.”

Families of Tourists Who Died Mysteriously Want Answers

Today, Commissioner Williams announced that the toxicology report for the mysterious deaths of three American tourists in their hotel room over a month ago is still pending. The families of the three women who died at the Royal Kahal Resort in San Pedro have issued a statement expressing their belief that the deaths are suspicious. They are growing increasingly concerned about the delay in receiving the toxicology results from Belize. Williams confirmed that the results are still pending.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We had said about a month. I don’t know if a month is up yet, but we had given a timeline of within a month’s time to get the toxicology report. Remember, we’re not the ones who are performing the test. The test is done by a lab in the US and certainly a lab in the US do has their commitments as well. We have paid for the services to be expedited, so we paid for the quickest way, but even though we paid for the quickest way, I guess due to the volume of work that they have, they have not been able to do it. I am sure that once the result is received. Mr. Cho will be more than happy to share that with us, and also with you the media so that we have a clear and definitive cause of death as it relates to those three women. I was the one who communicated with the family initially and since then I have not done so, but I don’t know if B.T.B. is in communication with them because I know that they had created some link between them and the B.T.B. that would keep them up to date as well as the U.S. Embassy. The police would also keep them up to date in terms of what has been done.”

Marion Ali

“If I could follow up on that same topic, it was the Fire Department that conducted the carbon monoxide test…”

Chester Williams

“And the Department of Environment.”

Marion Ali

“Right, so my question is, did the police secure the area before or in time, so that the hotel could not have gone ahead and contaminated or gotten their own team to go in and test because they were saying that there was no trace of…”

Chester Williams

“There are certain protocols that needed to have been observed before the test was done. Those protocols were observed.”

Did Poisoned Tequilla Lead to Death of 3 American Women?

The investigation into the mysterious deaths of three American women at a hotel in San Pedro is ongoing. The women, identified as twenty-three-year-old Kaoutar Naqqad, twenty-four-year-old Imane Mallah, and twenty-six-year-old Wafae El-Arar, were found dead in their room at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort. An autopsy confirmed they died from acute pulmonary edema, but a toxicology report is still pending. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams revealed that surveillance footage showed the women taking a bottle of tequila back to their room. Investigators are now trying to determine if tequila played a role in their deaths.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I had said in an interview I gave to the international press was that they consumed non-alcoholic beverage while they were in that area. They purchased a bottle of tequila which they took with them to the room. We have no video footage of them consuming that tequila. If they consumed it in their room, we will not be able to see that because the rooms do not have cameras.”

Reporter

“It may be someone that look like top shelf they sell, Jose Cuervo or whatever but it is a cheap knock-off that is poisonous.”

Chester Williams

“I have done some research on tequila since the discovery. I do not drink alcohol, not even champagne, wine, I don’t drink. I did my research on tequila and yes even the not so fake one can have deadly consequences at some point in time if it is abused. The National Forensic Service are on top of this and every evidence, including the tequila is being tested to see what they contain. I also had the opportunity to yesterday to have a conference call with all three family members of the young ladies and I gave them an update in terms of what we have done and what we will be doing moving forward with respect to the investigation.”