Will Enhanced Surveillance Footage Clear Elmer Nah?

Elmer Nah was charged in September for the triple murder that took place on New Year’s Eve 2022 in Belmopan. Since his arrest nearly two years ago, Nah has maintained his innocence. A crucial piece of evidence is a video from the victims’ home surveillance system, capturing the shooter in the act. However, the video doesn’t clearly identify the shooter. Nah insists it’s not him, while investigators believe they have the right man. Nah has hired Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, well known for his unconventional defense strategies. Smith is now working to enhance the video, hoping to prove Nah’s innocence. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Three weeks ago, Elmer Nah was charged with six counts related to the brutal triple murder of Jon, David, and Vivian Ramnarace on New Year’s Eve 2022 in Belmopan. Investigators are convinced that Nah is the shooter seen in the victims’ home surveillance footage from that horrific night. This video is a key piece of evidence, but questions remain about its clarity. Nah’s lawyer, Godfrey Smith, has enlisted a U.S. video and audio forensics firm to enhance the footage, hoping to clear his client’s name.

 

Godfrey Smith, Attorney-At-Law 

“The video of the shooter on premises of the deceased person, shooting, will feature prominently. We have retained a highly reputable forensics video and audio forensics firm in Los Angeles to have a look at that, because it holds the answer to who did the shooting, if it can be enhanced.”

 

Nah claims innocence. On January third, 2023, while being escorted to the Belmopan Magistrate Court, Nah asserted that he was being wrongfully accused.

 

Elmer Nah (File: Jan 3rd, 2023)

“I just want to say I the be wrongfully accused, wrongfully accused breda, wrongfully.”

 

Earlier this year, on April eleventh, News Five got hold of a letter written by Nah from prison, where he claimed that an enhanced version of the surveillance footage from the night of the triple murder would prove his innocence. Addressing these claims, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told reporters that the department has strong evidence against Nah, while also discussing the potential of enhancing the video.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police (File: April 11th, 2024)

“We have solicited the assistance of the U. S.  Embassy and we had sent that video footage abroad and to some extent it was enhanced. Not as good as we wanted to, but the experts in the U. S. um, did do what they could do with it for us.”
 

Even though he is an ex-police officer, Nah is no stranger to running afoul of the law.  He has faced ammunition and firearms related charges for which he has been found not guilty.  The ex-cop is now dealing with multiple charges from a drug plane landing in Bladen Village back in November 2021, on top of the charges for the December 2023 triple murder in Belmopan. Just days after that tragic night, a relative of one of the victims shared their thoughts.

 

Deon Pascasio, Relative of Murder Victims (File: Jan 17th, 2023)

“There are questions in the back of our minds, especially when we look at all that has been surfacing, that this particular individual, alleged perpetrator has been charged and has been involved in several different incidents and crime and has been able to walk away from every single one of them whatever reason, and that gives us some cause for concern.”

 

Attorney Godfrey Smith shared that the video and audio forensics firm they’ve hired believes the widely circulated surveillance footage has been distorted.

 

Godfrey Smith

“What they have come back to say is that look, the CD that you have may have been distorted. You need to get the video from the original recording source if there is to be a chance of seeing the face of the shooter.”

 

He noted that his firm has requested an original copy of the footage from the Belize Police Department.

 

Godfrey Smith

“They were able to point out on the recording we have that it was obviously adopted from the original source and that we need to get hold of the original source. We have also made an application to get contents of Mr. Nah’s phone and other things that are in the possession of the police.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez