Paul Arthurs is Fatally Stabbed; Was Murder or Self-defense?

Three murders were recorded over the weekend following separate shooting incidents in Orange Walk and Cayo districts.  In Blackman Eddy Village on Saturday night, a man was stabbed to death by the siblings of his former common-law wife.  She tells police that her ex-husband attempted to rape her at her birthday party and her brothers intervened and reportedly stabbed Paul Arthurs with his own knife.  Arthurs’ family shares a different account of the couple’s tumultuous relationship.  Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A resident of Ontario Village was fatally stabbed by his common-law wife’s siblings on Saturday night in Blackman Eddy Village.  Paul Arthurs was at a gathering in the neighboring community where Trisha Ireland was celebrating her birthday with friends and family.  Something went terribly wrong and he was attacked by several individuals.

 

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“Police visited Blackman Eddy Village where a complainant reported that she went to use a bathroom that is situated outside of her house.  She then reported that her ex-boyfriend, Paul Arthurs, dragged her into some bushes and attempted to rape her.  Her brother who was at the area at the time intervened in her defense, at which point Paul Arthurs produced a knife.  A fight ensued and then Paul Arthurs received injuries.  Other villagers came and assisted as well.  Paul Arthurs was taken to the hospital with stab wound injuries and there after succumbed to his injuries.”

 

That’s the official account given by the Belize Police Department, based on their investigation into what transpired on Saturday night.  Arthurs’ family provided a different narrative of what they understand took place.

 

Voice of: Relative of Deceased

“He was up at Blackman all day.  He was socializing with some friends, to our understanding.  He and the female in question, actually in custody at this time for investigation, they were together.  They did have their ups and downs.  It was her birthday on that day, as well, to our understanding, she was having a small gathering at her house and she saw him up in Blackman and she came by and invited him to the home.  In the night, around 9:30, we received information that he got chopped.”

 

Arthurs’ niece, who spoke with us under the condition of anonymity, said that they were on their way to the hospital when they learned of his demise.  We were also told that the relationship was oftentimes unstable.

 

Voice of: Relative of Deceased

“We were on our way to the hospital when we got news that he succumbed to his injuries.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“What do you believe went wrong that would have resulted in this fatal stabbing?”

 

Voice of: Relative of Deceased

“To our understanding, the female that he was with, the family has never stepped into their relationship or told him what to do, for lack of a better term, however, he and the female have had their little back and forth because she has times when she doesn’t want him around.”

 

Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero says that the Director of Public Prosecutions will determine what charges, if any, will be brought against the person or persons who inflicted the deadly stab wounds on Arthurs.

 

 

 

Hilberto Romero

“An investigation has been carried out and this file will be sent to the D.P.P. for directives.

 

Arthurs relatives maintain that Ireland and her siblings should have alerted police of the disturbance, instead of taking matters into their own hands.

 

Voice of: Relative of Deceased

“As a family, we wish they would have contacted the police and asked [to] remove this man from this home because, he, another report says that she was his ex.  They were in a back and forth ongoing relationship and he couldn’t have had access to this female if she didn’t invite him to the home and also he could not have gotten access to take her anywhere that her brothers or the people at the home would not have seen.  So she had enough people there to protect her where that couldn’t have happened, in our opinion.”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.