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Visiting Art Volunteer Cruelly Killed In Orange Walk
posted (March 24, 2011)
Last night we opened the newscast with the story of murder - and tonight, sadly, we have another saddening statistic to add to this year's over 20 homicides.

But the killing we're reporting on this evening is unusual - that's because the victim is a foreigner, a female passing through Belize.

54 year old art teacher Isis Nazar had travelled the world; she'd been to dozens of country as a kind of art pilgrim - but her journey ended last night or sometime this morning in Orange Walk when she was brutally slain.

Jim McFadzean was in Orange Walk Town and he has more on the story:…

Jim McFadzean Reporting
Isis Nazar is said to have been in the country barely a month during which time she had spent a couple weeks in the village of Hopkins and most recently took up residence in Orange Walk. A seasoned traveller, Nazar who holds dual British/Lebanese citizenship, is said to have taken up residence in this bungalow wooden home located at the corner of Riverside Drive and Baker Street barely two weeks before she met her untimely death.

Orange Walk Police say they got a 911 call at around 7:30 this morning alerting them that something had gone deadly wrong at Nazar's residence.

Supt. Joseph Myvette, OIC, Orange Walk Police Station
"Upon arrival police observe the body of a woman in a bedroom inside the house apparently dead with injuries to her neck and bruises to her elbows. Initial investigation reveal that she is a foreigner and is said to have been doing some work with the Banquitas House of Culture. The house was ransack and force entry was observe from a window from the western side of the building. investigations into this matter continues."

Police won't confirm reports that Nazar's body was found bound and that she was sexually assaulted, only to comment so far on an injury to her throat, an apparent cut wound.

Jim McFadzean
"Has it been established that she was sexuality assault?"

Supt. Joseph Myvette, OIC, Orange Walk Police Station
"No, we will not be able to determine that pending the outcome of the investigation."

Jim McFadzean
"Do you have any idea when."

Cpl. Williams, Lead Detective, O.W. Police
"We need to back to the scene and definitely we will be able to know more to say whether it is a burglary that turned into a murder."

Her riverside residence was not by chance, Nazar was drawn to water, and the tranquility it brings. So much so that she chose to hold her free art lessons on the balcony of the Banquitas Cultural Institute so that she and her students could enjoy the riverside scenery. It's at one of those classes that local poet and artist Nelita Sambula Doherty met Nazar. Sambula with one of her paintings that Nazar was helping her to complete in the backdrop spoke to us about their last conversation.

Nelita Sambula Doherty
"The last time I spoke to her was on Tuesday afternoon, I took her to Honey Camp and she went swimming. She had a nice time out there and I told her I would miss classes on Wednesday and come Thursday so this morning I was on my way to come and complete my painting because she was assisting me with this painting and that's when I found out that she had been killed."

Doherty says her first and lasting impression of Nazar was of a free spirited extroverted and charming lady.

Nelita Sambula Doherty
"I think she was a very caring person. She was very friendly anyone she came in contact with she did not discriminate against anyone and in fact many times we had to warn her about talking to people, talking to everyone. We tried to tell her to be careful, try to select who you are talking to and don't invite anyone to your house."

It is that friendly outgoing, and unassuming personality of Nazar that might have played a role in the puzzling last moments of her life.

Jim Mcfadzean
"What do you believe happened last night?"

Nelita Sambula Doherty
"I just think that she somehow met the wrong person, met someone who befriended her and made her believe that he or she was a harmless person. I believe that it is a male person and I think she let her guard down with the person and I believe that whoever hurt her so viciously knew who she was and she knew who that person was."

"There are many theories floating as to why Isis Nazar became the victim of such a brutal and callous slaying, we might never get the answer to that question, but one thing is for sure, Isis Nazar's name has become permanently inked in Belize's growing National Crime Statistics."

So far, Orange Walk Police do not have any one detained…

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