2025-03-11 - Channel 5 Belize

Mark Usher Ambushed, Murdered upon Arrival at Home

We start tonight’s newscast with the disheartening news of a violent weekend in Belize City – one of the deadliest in recent memory. Three murders in the Old Capital have brought grief to three more families and tested the police’s capabilities. First, we have the details of the Saturday night murder of Mark Usher Junior, a resident of Faber’s Road Extension. This was followed by another murder on Sunday, which police believe is connected. Here’s the full report from News Five’s Marion Ali.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Thirty-three-year-old Mark Usher had just returned home after going out to buy food on Saturday night when he was tragically murdered. It seems his killer was waiting for him on a bicycle and ambushed him as he got out of his vehicle. Usher was shot on Jabiru Street, near the junction with Faber’s Road Extension. Police Commissioner Chester Williams shared the latest findings from the investigation.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“On Saturday night, police received information of shots fired in the Faber’s Road Extension area. Upon responding, they discovered one Mark Usher suffering from gunshot injuries. He was taken to the K.H.M.H., where he was admitted in a critical condition and a few hours later, he succumbed to his injuries. Police investigations so far have led to the arrest of an individual who has since been charged for the crime of murder in respect to the shooting death of Mark Usher.”

Twenty-six-year-old Andre Arthurs, a construction worker from Burrell Boom Village, has been charged with Usher’s murder. He was arraigned today and sent to Belize Central Prison. Arthurs appeared in court without a lawyer and is scheduled to return on May thirteenth. Usher’s murder is believed to be part of a long-standing feud between local street figures. However, Police Commissioner Chester Williams mentioned that they had no prior information indicating Usher’s life was in danger.

Chester Williams

“I personally know of no information where Mark Usher was under any threat. I did hear, though, that there was some issue reported to the police in respect to the tensions in the Faber’s Road Extension area and, L.I.U. was notified of that issue. I know for a fact that the police were trying to find the different players, whose names were called in the issue in that Faber’s Road area, but the players, upon having knowledge of the police seeking them, they seem to have gone into hiding and so the police could not have located them.”

Williams mentioned that if the police had found the feuding parties, they would have tried to calm things down through intervention. They believe Usher’s murder stemmed from this ongoing dispute.

Chester Williams

“That area has been an issue for some time now with tensions between the two groups that operate in that area and it is believed that his death is as a result of that issue between the two groups.”

No one we spoke to wanted to discuss Usher’s murder. He had been targeted the night before when a woman’s house in the area was shot up. A.C.P. Hilberto Romero addressed that incident today.

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

“On Sunday, the ninth of March, police responded to a report of a shooting incident at Rio Bravo Crescent in Belize City. On the arrival, they found a woman, Yvonne Ellis, who reported that she was in front of her house when she saw a white van slow down in the area. Thereafter she saw a male person pull out a firearm and fired several shots towards her direction. She immediately took cover and called for police.”

Romero stated that Yvonne Ellis was unharmed in the incident. The police are searching for the vehicle involved but are unsure who the intended target was. Marion Ali for News Five.

Shooting Victims Crash into KHMH Building

On Sunday morning, three men were shot at while driving a pickup truck on the Phillip Goldson Highway. The driver, Joseph Garcia, was hit but managed to speed towards Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, which was nearby. Sadly, he died, and the vehicle crashed into the hospital’s exterior wall. The other two passengers, Ronlee Petillo and Shamar Faber, are still in the hospital. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

One man is dead, and another is in critical condition at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after a shooting on the Phillip Goldson Highway in Belize City. On Sunday morning, Joseph Garcia, Ronlee Petillo, and Shamar Faber were in an SUV when a gunman opened fire on them. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams mentioned that the men were being followed by passengers in a white car.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Ronlee Petillo and his group were coming from the area of Haulover Bridge into Belize City when they were followed by a white vehicle and a silver Forerunner and upon reaching the area of the flour mill the white vehicle overtook them and the occupants from that white car fired multiple shots at the vehicle Petillo and his group were in fatally injuring one person.”

Garcia was driving when they were attacked. He sped down the highway towards Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but lost consciousness and crashed into the hospital’s cafeteria. This shocking incident left employees stunned, as described by Chief Executive Officer Chandra Cansino.

Chandra Cansino, C.E.O., KHMHA

“They came straight to the hospital and because of the seriousness of the injuries the driver was unable to make it to the emergency unit. They drove straight into the building. Where you saw the truck is an actually the cafeteria. And so, thankfully there are no patients there, but we do have our staff there. So we were concerned both for them and the integrity of the building. So, we got someone to look at that. The integrity of the building was fine, we do have some major damages to the wall. So we closed down the cafeteria yesterday and gave the staff support.”

Garcia succumbed to the injuries he sustained. According to police, Petillo is in a stable condition, while Faber remains in a critical condition.

Chester Williams

“Mr. Petillo is admitted in a stable condition and contrary to what some media houses reported that he got shot in the neck and is critical, that is not true. He got a graze to the back of head and a shot in the hand and he is in good spirit and stable. The other person is in a critical condition and is in the ICU. We are hoping he will be able to pull through. So far we have been on the ground trying to view as much surveillance footage as we can. But since it was a holiday we were not able to get as much as we want to. Together the investigators were busy to put together the pieces to come to a determination as to who are responsible for that particular incident.”

This is not the first attempt on Petillo’s life. He has also had multiple run ins with the law. ComPol Williams says Garcia was an innocent passenger in the vehicle

Chester Williams

“The young man who died is certainly innocent. He is from Dangriga. He came up and took Petillo to the Max Borough area and because he was with Petillo he became a victim of those circumstances.”

Commissioner Williams praised the quick actions of the medical team at KHMH. He mentioned that the people in the vehicle made a smart move by racing to the hospital, as their attackers might have killed all three of them. In response to rising gang violence in the Old Capital, the hospital has increased its security measures.

Chandra Cansino

“We have a very prepared Accident and Emergency Unit which is not where the vehicle came unfortunately. But, even yesterday when the accident happened, personnel were here and took the victims straight to the emergency. We do have ramped up surveillance. We are working closely with the police. They actually have some police officers here as well. Our concern is for the safety of the patients and staff as a priority. We have ramped up our surveillance and security and working along with the police in that regard.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

Family Man Killed Inside His Home Following Mark Usher’s Murder

Just a day after Mark Usher was shot outside his home, another resident in the area was murdered, this time inside his house. Police believe the two killings are connected. Forty-one-year-old Rafael Caceres had just finished a twelve-hour shift at Bowen and Bowen and was taking a nap after lunch when he was killed. Here’s News Five’s Marion Ali with the report.

April Slusher, Common-law Wife of Deceased

“I hear bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. When I run out ya, da person, all weh I holla, (****), watch weh you just done do. You kill my man.” You think he look back? He run He never even run down the step, he just start to jump. He just start to jump down the step.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

April Slusher saw the man who had just killed her common-law husband fleeing from their home on Robinson Street, near Faber’s Road, shortly after midday. Slusher had spent the last fifteen years with Rafael Caceres, and they had three young daughters together. She recalled that on Sunday afternoon, Caceres had just finished eating, and she was washing his plate in the kitchen when she heard gunshots at the doorway.

April Slusher

“The way how he come in, he come here like we know he. We nuh even know this person weh come ya, fi he come tek my husband’s life like this.

What’s worse is that the couple’s three-year-old daughter was sitting right across from her father but out of the killer’s view. She heard the shots that killed her dad and saw when his body went limp.

April Slusher

“Mi baby mi deh over dey across fa he. She just shock. She nuh even see because the curtain mi deh right deh. He politely come, haul the curtain. I di tell yoh mammy, this hurt.”

Police Commissioner Chester Williams reported that by the time investigators arrived, Caceres had already died.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“On Sunday afternoon just after midday, police were called to the Arlington Drive area of Belize City where upon arrival they encountered the lifeless body of Mr. Rafael Caceres inside his home with multiple gunshot injuries. He was taken to the K.H.M.H., where he was pronounced dead on arrival. It is our belief that the shooting death of Caceres is a direct retaliation for the death of Mark Usher.”

Police believe this killing is directly linked to the murder of Mark Usher.

Chester Williams

“Following the death of Mark Usher, we had actually detained all the Caceres brothers, but we didn’t go for Raphael because Raphael has not been in the loop. He has been a very good citizen, law-abiding, working, and so we did not anticipate that they would have targeted him. He actually lived far away from the other Caceres brothers, so I guess that because they could not have found the other brothers, they went after the one who was most vulnerable.”

It’s unclear if surveillance cameras caught the moments before and after the killing, but reports indicate that a grey Ford Escape with no license plates was seen circling the house before the incident. This is the vehicle the gunman reportedly emerged from. Meanwhile, April Slusher strongly denied accusations that they were harboring criminal relatives of Caceres.

April Slusher

“Anybody weh know me, know April, April, know I nuh harbor no bredda. I drive da vehicle when they see me in deh, and know that no bredda never deh in ya and no bredda nuh come eena my house.”

Slusher spoke to the media from the very chair where Caceres had been sitting at the entrance of their home when he was murdered. Today she lamented her loss.

April Slusher

“All weh I want da coward know, when he tek weh from my pikni and me, he kill a good man because my husband gone. But fi he legacy, and people weh know he wa still carry that on, and speak the truth and tell everybody what a good person my husband was.”

Commissioner Williams stated that after the murder, police increased their presence in the area to gather all possible evidence and ensure the culprit is brought to justice.

Chester Williams

“We have since detained one suspect. That suspect will be placed on identification parade today and it is our hope that he would be, he will be identified and will be charged for the murder of Mr. Caceres. The man certainly was doing well, living with his family not bothering nobody. And so when you venture to kill somebody innocent, just because you couldn’t get the ones that you want, that is troubling. And we take it seriously, and that’s the reason why we deployed as much as we could have resources in the area. We need to get whatever evidence we need to get it so that we can hold those whoever is responsible for his murder for justice.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Were Police Tipped off About Mark Usher’s Death?

Gang activity is increasing in the Faber’s Road extension area. On Saturday night, Mark Usher was murdered, leading to more gunfire in retaliation. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed that the police had received warnings of a possible flare-up. However, Williams denied that the police knew Mark Usher was going to be targeted. Here’s what he had to say.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“No. I personally know of no information where Mark Usher was under any threat. I do heard, though, that there was some issue reported to the police in respect to the tensions in the Fabers Road extension area and LIU were notified of that issue. I know for a fact that the police were trying to find the different players whose name were called in the issue in that Fabers Road area, but the players upon having knowledge of the police seeking them, they seems to have gone into hiding and so the police could not have located them. If had they located them, then they would have seen what could be done to, to have some intervention session between them, but they had went to hide from the police.”

CitCo Employee Shoots Colleague Over Dog Dispute

Over the weekend, police made an arrest for one of the city’s murders and charged a man in connection with another shooting that left a Belize City Council employee injured. Travis Flowers, forty-five, was detained after allegedly trying to kill his co-worker, Calvin Cumberbatch, a Transport Evaluator for the Belize City Council. The incident happened in broad daylight on Orange Street on Saturday around 2:45 p.m. Flowers, a coordinator with the Belize City Council’s Enforcement Department, appeared in court this morning before Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola. He faced three serious charges: attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, and dangerous harm against Cumberbatch. The shooting stemmed from an altercation between the two men. According to police reports, Cumberbatch was walking on West Street when a black SUV tried to run him over. The driver, who turned out to be Flowers, got out of the vehicle, and the two exchanged words. Flowers allegedly tried to punch Cumberbatch, who defended himself and punched Flowers back. Flowers then reportedly pulled out his licensed firearm and shot Cumberbatch twice, injuring his shoulder and abdomen. Cumberbatch told police he was unarmed and tried to hide from Flowers, who continued to pursue him until neighbors intervened. Police later found Flowers on Vernon Street with his Glock pistol, which has since been confiscated. The investigation is ongoing as the police try to determine the motive behind the attack.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“Police responded to a shooting incident at Orange Street in Belize City. Upon their arrival, they saw Calvin Cumberbatch with gunshot injuries. He was taken to the KHMH for treatment. Investigation revealed that Calvin Cumberbatch had a dispute with Travis Flowers, they got into a fight and thereafter, Travis Flowers went into his vehicle pulled out a firearm and fired shots at Calvin Cumberbatch causing his injuries. Efforts were made and Calvin Flowers was located and his license firearm was seized. He has since been arrested and charged for the crimes of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. Calvin Cumberbatch is at the KHMH in a stable condition. It was after the fight that he went into the vehicle and retrieved the firearm. He did not pull it out there and then, he went for the firearm and then fired the shots. So he has been charged for the three crimes I mentioned.”

Reporter

“Would that be justified as self-defense?”

Hilberto Romero

“Since it is not there and then, he went, got the firearm, then he came and fired the shots.”

Reporter

“Do you know the nature of the dispute they’ve been having?”

Hilberto Romero

“The incident that occurred on that day, I think they were quarreling over a dog and that led to the shooting.”

ComPol says All Hands on Deck to Ensure Peace in Belize City

In an update to our story on the Sunday afternoon murder of Rafael Caceres, Belize City police have arrested and charged thirty-one-year-old Lawrence Anthony Polonio, alias Makala. The Faber’s Road resident has been charged for the crime of murder. Over the weekend, three men were killed within twelve hours in Belize City due to gang violence, sparking public safety concerns. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams talked about the steps being taken to address the surge in gang activity.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“It is indeed concerning and that’s the reason why we deployed the way we did to Benin City. I spent the entire weekend on the grounds in Belize City working until twelve midnight every night. I took up a team. I even withdrew the south composite. I withdrew the coastal composite and I had all of those assets in Belize City working. Because we wanted to make sure that we bring the city under control and I think that you would be able to attest that following those incidents, the city went calm because we literally moved in with additional resources and we detained a number of these persons who we believe are responsible for the different incidents. And so with that, we were able to restore some calm to the city.”

Will the GOB Declare an SOE in Belize City?

As gang activity rises, police are stepping up mediation efforts in key areas of Belize City. Over the weekend, dozens of men were detained after several shootings in the Faber’s Road extension area. This has led to speculation about whether the Belize Police Department will declare another State of Emergency to detain known gang members. However, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that with the general election on Wednesday, there are no plans to implement an SOE.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Elections will be held tomorrow. So, I would want to think that we would have to wait until after elections and ministers are assigned to whatever portfolio and then we still go from there.”

Reporter

“I don’t know your knowledge of the constitution. I assume you have omniscience in that as in all other matters. However, the country continues to be run by the cabinet. The prime minister is still the prime minister. Kareem Musa is still the minister of home affairs. Is the reason they are not calling an SOE, it is not because they lack executive authority, it’s because they lack the political will to do so before an election.”

Chester Williams

“I wouldn’t think so because the public would be extremely happy if they were to call an SOE. So I don’t think it’s that, no.”

Reporter

“Have you advised for an SOE to be called?”

Chester Williams

“No.”

Reporter

“Do you think we’ve passed the threshold for when one should be called?”

Chester Williams

“We’ll speak about that after the election.”

Mother of 5 Charged for Cyberbullying ComPol Williams

Tonight, a mother of five is out on bail after the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, filed a report against her under the Cyber Crime Act. This led to her detention since Friday and charges for using a computer system to spread a false statement. The accused, thirty-seven-year-old Nichole Gilda McDonald, spent four nights in detention before appearing in court this morning without a lawyer. McDonald, a matron at the Youth Cadet Corp and resident of Antelope Street, Belize City, is accused of posting a false statement on March fifth, intending to harm Commissioner Williams. McDonald pleaded not guilty and explained that she was only commenting on a statement made by her party leader about Belize being a narco state. She insisted she meant no harm and was merely responding to what was happening in Cayo. The magistrate informed McDonald of the severe penalties for the offense, which include a fine of ten thousand dollars and up to five years in prison. McDonald explained that she and the Commissioner are Facebook friends and that she was responding to a message from her leader. The magistrate advised her to save her explanations for the trial. McDonald, a mother of five, shared that she is under distress as two of her children’s fathers have died. The prosecutor did not object to bail, and the magistrate granted it at one thousand dollars, with one surety of the same amount. Conditions of her bail include staying away from Commissioner Williams and his family, avoiding further legal trouble, and staying off Facebook. McDonald is due back in court on May fourteenth, 2025.

ComPol Tells Cartel Affiliated Police to Move to Chetumal

Recently, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed that one of the persons wanted for involvement with drug operations in Corozal is a member of the Belize Police Department on leave. While unable to provide more details on the ongoing investigation, Williams condemned the involvement of police officers in cartel activity, promising strict consequences for any officers found to have ties to their operations. Here’s more on that.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I am not going to say much on this because I have put together a team to investigate that whole issue in the north. Not just the civilians, but also the police officers who were getting information of our involvement. I have said this before and I’m going to say it again. The Belize Police Department is not going to shield no police officer who gets entangled with cartels. If you get entangled with cartels, the best I can do for you is to second you to Chetumal, where you can work with them. But I will not allow for police officers to be entangled with cartels and be working with other police officers who are not involved. And when a cartel come for them, they end up injuring innocent police officers. It is extremely risky. And so I have said that what we need to do is to investigate, identify those police officers. And I don’t think transferring them is going to us, because if we transfer them, they move to other areas and they recruit more police officers. So they will, in essential, be contaminating more police officers. So, my thing is that we identify them and we get rid of them. You can’t be a cartel and be a police at the same time. You have to decide what you want to be. You can only be one. So either decide to be cartel or you decide to be police. The fact that they have decided to be cartels, that there’s no need for no room for them to be police officers. We have to part ways, and that’s the bottom line.”

Reporter

“Now, with this police officer that’s being sought, what is the status on him?”

Chester Williams

“I am told that he’s going to surrender himself today, and so we’ll wait and see how that goes.”

Why was Raheem Usher Granted a Gun License?

In late February, twenty-nine-year-old Raheem Usher was found handcuffed, wrapped in a sheet, and covered in plastic near the Rio Hondo River. The construction worker from Libertad village had been missing for over a month and was discovered with a cryptic message attached to his body. Police have dismissed rumors of cartel involvement in Usher’s death. However, given the targeted nature of the attack, questions have arisen about why Usher was allowed to possess a licensed gun. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams addressed this issue today.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“ Yes, he was a member of the Coast Guard and yes, he had a license firearm.”

Reporter

“Did you issue him the license?”

Chester Williams

“I cannot say, but if I did, he would have been a member of the security force.”

Reporter

“So, but Raheem Usher had a licensed firearm and Curtis Usher had a license firearm.”

Chester Williams

“We have discussed Curtis Usher before. You know I was not the one who issued that.”

Reporter

“Yeah, but I’m just saying that we’ve seen a family or persons in a family involved with narco elements from the north and they are licensed gun holders by the state.”

Chester Williams

“We have to be fair. Raheem Usher was a member of the Belize Coast Guard. He was a member of a security force. I am sure that when he entered the Coast Guard, there was no information of him being connected to any narco. If not, the Coast Guard would not have recruited him. And for me, when I was the licensing authority, any police officer be there for Coast Guard who applied for a license to hold a gun, so long as their vetting is clean, I would give it to them. Because I understand the risk that is associated with you being a member of the security force in this country. So It would not be a prudent thing for me to deny them license. I cannot speak to why Coast Guard parted ways with Raheem. I’m not the commander of Coast Guard. I think he can answer that question if you were to be asked. But certainly when he did get his firearm license, his betting was clean and he was a member of the Belize Coast Guard.”