5 coast guard personnel have been detained in connection with the disappearance of the 3 Belize City fishermen. The 3 men: 20-year-old Donovan Usher,
29-year-old Giovanni Murrillo, and 33-year-old Jerome Bowen left for Turneffe Island on Thursday morning, August 27
th
. They went on a 1 day fishing trip but since then no one has seen or heard from these men. When we spoke to Donovan Usher's mother she told us that
she strongly believes that the Coast Guard has something to do with it. Well, it seems the story does have some credence to it because police have
detained 5 members of the Coast Guard for questioning. Today we spoke to the family and they told us how they felt when they heard about this break in
the case and what it means for the family.
Courtney Weatherburne
"What was the first thing that came to your mind when you heard that update?"
Anna Cardenes, - Mother of Donovan Usher
"I feel a relief, a weight come off of me because; like I said we know they have something to do with it. And I hope they get answers and that we get
answers."
Courtney Weatherburne
"In the last interview you told us that you were still hopeful and you felt that you know; they were still alive. Do you still hold to that line?"
Anna Cardenes, - Mother of Donovan Usher
"No. No, no, no. I know that they dead because rumour has it that the same coast guard was talking that they killed them and buried them on an island;
so all my hopes died along with that, with da information there, we in a lot of pain. It's bitter-sweet but we still the hope for justice and we hope
we get justice for this because my son just start live his life, just turned 20 years old Wednesday and the Thursday the gone to sea. Every night when
I come from work my son waits for me on the bridge every single night when I come home. Every night he waits for me. He said mommy you come home, I
tell him I done reach home. He come he would hug me up and ask if I'm alright old lady because that's what he calls me. You alright? And I would tell
him yes. I miss that, I miss my son a lot. I can't explain how I feel and if you don't experience it for yourself you would never understand that
feeling that I have. To lose a child; not only my child but my grandchildren lose their father as well. It's very hard and all I want is justice,
justice for my family."
Dannica Usher - Giovanni's girlfriend
"I would want to say like how 5 of the coast guard in custody. If they the talk or whatever we would want to say please make we know where part their
body they. Because we want to give them a proper burial and so we could get closure and we could get justice for them."
We also spoke with Jerome Bowen's common law wife Natesha Tillett. They have been together for 10 years and have 7 kids together. Today she stood
outside her workplace and relived the last time she saw her husband.
Natesha Tillett - Jerome Bowen's Common law wife
"5 o'clock he gets up and says he going to turneffe to catch some lobster. So he will come back the same day because he never carry no extra clothes;
gone, since now he hasn't come back. Sometimes it's hard because I don't like being by myself. I cry sometimes, my daughter rubs my head; they asks me
when daddy the come home, I don't want to tell they nothing because I don't want them stress out and school just open. That will damage them because
they love their pa."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Do you think that the father of your children will come back?"
Natesha Tillett - Jerome Bowen's Common law wife
"I pray and I hope they come back. Something I think that how he still out there somewhere alive and sometimes I feel like he's gone."
Tomorrow will make 2 weeks that the men have been missing at sea. As we told you all 3 men have had prior encounters with the Coast Guard involving an
incident at sea in February of this year where Giovanni Murrillo allegedly shot at the Coast Guard. The family says that since then the men have
received threats from the Coast Guard. When we contacted the Coast Guard today they told us via text, quote, "We are aware that there is a suspicion
that members of the CG may be involved with the 3 missing men. That information was made public via Channel 7 during an interview with the family
members. We have since then declared all the necessary information required for them to conduct their investigation. We will keep following the story."
In a late update, we are told that two of the COAST Guard officers have been released, which means that three remain in custody.
Email
Print