Matura was the target and his injuries were the most serious; he was shot eight times, leaving him with injuries to the stomach, left leg and in both arms. At the time, he told the press in a statement that the shot to his stomach had perforated his bowel, and added that a bullet that got lodged in his cellphone may have spared any damage to his organs. That was the last we heard from Matura on February 19th, four days after he was shot. He had been spared and was on the mend, we believed. But it turns out that Matura had many post injury complications including infection - which led ultimately to pneumonia. He had been in and out of the hospital and was placed in an induced coma yesterday. A statement from his family today said that "after 5 and half weeks of battling for his life he succumbed after he experienced septic shock and his organs began failing.He passed away this morning, reportedly after his lungs collapsed.

For many in Belize City, it is a shock particularly so close to the Cross Country - as Matura was often known to drive an official vehicle in the big races. He was immortalized in 2004 Richard Holder photo interpreting the Last Supper where Matura was pictured as the Christ figure - seen in the middle breaking bread.

And on the night he was killed, Matura was trying to keep the peace; he intervened to stop an older male from harassing a young female child that he knew. The man later returned in the company of another male and they fired indiscriminately - seriously injuring Matura and grazing two others passers-by.

A statement from the family says that a Celebration his life will be held on Tuesday April 2, 2013. at St. Mary's Church in Belize City at 2:00 p.m.