Repeat Offender Detained After Brutal Stabbing in Belize City

A man is in police custody following a stabbing incident in Belize City on January 1, 2025. 

Police say the attack unfolded during a heated argument over an eviction notice, which escalated into a physical fight between 35-year-old Deneisha Tillett and her tenant, 37-year-old Darlene McKenzie. Mervin Martin, 28, and Emerson Garnett, 33, became involved in the altercation that left Martin in a critical condition. 

During the fight, Garnett allegedly stabbed Martin multiple times. Martin was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment. 

However, as reported previously, this isn’t the first time Garnett has been in trouble. In April 2024, a viral video showed him violently assaulting a man, leading to charges of common assault and a $505 fine. Later that year, in September, Garnett was arrested for a burglary in which $4,000 worth of jewellery was stolen. He was released on bail but remained in prison due to an unpaid court fine until October 2024.