What happened to 20-year-old Joshua Hall?  

The search for twenty-year-old Joshua Hall has ended in grief. His bullet-riddled body was discovered in the Dominguez Layout area of Corozal Town. On December twenty-third, Hall was reported missing by his family after he failed to return home from his routine sign-in at the Corozal Police Station, a requirement of his bail conditions for a robbery charge he received a month earlier. After a week of relentless searching, Hall’s lifeless body was found and taken to the Corozal Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

It’s been a week since twenty-year-old Joshua Hall was reported missing by his family, but the search ended in tragedy on Sunday. The San Antonio resident was found shot to death, hidden among the bushes in the Dominguez Layout area of Corozal District. The last place Hall was seen alive was the Corozal Police Station on December twenty-third, where he signed in just before nine a.m.

 

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, the twenty-ninth day of December 2024, upon information received, police visited the Dominguez Layout area in Corozal, where he saw the lifeless body of a male person with gunshot injuries. He was identified as Joshua Hall, who had been reported missing the week before. He was seen with gunshot injuries and a bicycle was found in the area. The information is he had gone to the station to sign as he is on bail. Thereafter, he left on his bicycle. Sometime thereafter, he was reported missing.”

 

In November, Joshua Hall was released on bail for a robbery charge, with the condition that he sign in at the police station every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hall had been faithfully following this routine until the day he vanished. With no security footage or witness statements to confirm that Hall left the police station, rumors of police involvement in his disappearance started to swirl. Senior Superintendent Chris Noble addressed these claims earlier today.

 

Sr. Supt. Chris Noble, Northern Regional Commander

“Based on the allegations that the family has brought forward, we are looking into it. We have the professional standard branch that are in Corozal and they are doing what they need to do. The family did have an independent person contact me and I asked that person to call me.  Speak to the family to dissuade any notion that the police would be involved.”

 

The family also claims that Joshua had been threatened by an officer and targeted during previous run-ins with the law. Senior Superintendent Chris Noble stated that the matter has been referred to the Professional Standards Branch for investigation.

 

Sr. Supt. Chris Noble

“ Based on that is where we are with the professional standard branch, that’s one.  Two, I will not go further than what the family has said because that is a matter that can be taken up legally by the person named.”

 

While the search for Joshua was still ongoing, his sister Eden Hall explained that his behavior was changing for the better, particularly since he was anticipating becoming a father very soon.

 

On the Phone: Eden Hall, Sister of Deceased

“ I know my brother was imperfect. I won’t come on here and pretend like he was a scene, but after all, he’s our family. And you know, it’s the worst feeling to not know anything and trying to find and cannot find anything.”

 

Benita Keme-Palacio

“How did his behavior stand after, after being released though? Did it improve or was he still?”

 

On the Phone: Eden Hall

“It did improve. With the baby on the way, we were seeing a lot of changes. We were trying, like I said, we have a very supportive family. We look out for each other and we’re very close to one another. So, we were trying with him. He was trying to maintain his behavior. So like I said, he wasn’t involved in anything that we know of.”

 

Hall’s family had pooled together a five-thousand-dollar reward for anyone with information leading to his discovery. Before he was found, his sister, Aiyana Hall shared that the hardest part was not knowing what had happened to her brother.

 

Aiyana Hall, Sister of Deceased

“Honestly, I want to tell you know that worst feeling ever. We had plans as a family for Christmas.  We had his baby shower on Sunday because the baby is due January eighth. Anytime now, then they expect the baby and he excited for the baby and he try. He was trying.  I can’t tell you what happened and I know, like I said, we probably won’t see him again, but we at least as his family, we want closure guys.”

 

Noble said that police are looking into all possible motives, including Hall’s previous interactions with the law.

 

Sr. Supt. Chris Noble

“Our investigation is correct. It is still fluid and we’re looking into the angles. One brought forth by the family and others that we are getting leads into.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.