Of last year's 132 murders, the Belize district accounted for almost 90 of them - and most of those were in the city, after all, you very rarely hear about murders in rural Belize.
And that's what makes the killing of 46 year old Harris Gabourel so noteworthy; the Boston Villager was found dead in an area off the old northern highway this morning, he had been shot multiple times to the upper body.
Monica Bodden went looking for answers…
Monica Bodden Reporting
The body of 46 year old Harris Gabourel was discovered on the Old Northern Highway between mile 21 and a half and 22 sometime this morning by a man who was on his way to work.
He was found lying on his face within a patch of bushes with gunshot wounds to his body.
Harris, who was last seen around 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon had left his home in Boston Village to attend a funeral.
When he didn't return home last night, his mother said it wasn't anything alarming - since it wasn't out of the ordinary.
Linda Mae Gabourel - Mother
"It never worry me when he didn't come home because it is something that he does regular, but he always make sure he is at home in the morning."
46 year old Harris Gabourel was shot to his right cheek, the center of his chest and his left upper back. His aunt was on the scene this morning.
Irma Gentle - Aunt
"I just see how he lay down on the chair and you could barely see his face because he must have drop face on but then this hand left like that and then his face is partly behind some leaves."
His mother says she didn't know her son as having any enemies.
Linda Mae Gabourel - Mother
"I don't think that he had a confrontation with anybody because he didn't mention anything."
Monica Bodden
"So you don't know who would want to take the life of your son?"
Linda Mae Gabourel - Mother
"I don't know maybe he had a confrontation yesterday evening with somebody, but nothing that i know of."
Today this mother is left to grieve the unexpected death of her son.
Linda Mae Gabourel - Mother
"I am a Christian and I weep yes but i know God don't give more than what you can bear and I believe in God and he don't do anything without a reason and I believe he has a reason one way or the other. It hurts and God don't really take your loved one from you, he allow the devil to do that and so I console myself that he will give me the health and strength that I will endure this to the end."
Irma Gentle - Aunt
"Like it's not true, I don't feel like it happen but I saw him so I know it happen, but to come to terms with it, it will take a while."
When we asked her if she wanted justice, she replied….
Linda Mae Gabourel - Mother
"I don't worry about justice because really and truly things happen over and over, I see many mothers cry on the TV. I see many mothers want justice but sometimes getting justice doesn't bring back the person. If the police find who did it to him, the same thing, it just hurts that they take away a good son from me."
There are no suspects held at this time in connection with the murder. Harris Gabourel lived in Boston with his mother and was the father of one child…..
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