Hurricane Earl is only a few hours away from making landfall in Belize. And while the Rural Eastern Division Police officers were busy making preparations to cover the 30+ villages in their jurisdiction, they had to make time to respond to another murder in the Japan area of Ladyville.
Anyone who watched the news with regularity knows that there have several murders in that area. Well another was added to list last night, after someone went to the home of 32 year-old John Williams and shot him in the head. He died right inside his home, where he was supposed to be safe, the same place where his son and where his girlfriend had just left.
Today, Our news team went looking for answers as why anyone would want to execute a man who, by all appearances, stayed out of trouble. Daniel Ortiz has that story:
Just before midnight last night, Ladyville Police came upon the body of 32 year-old John Williams, a resident of the Japan area who had been killed while he was inside his home.
To get there, the shooter had to pass this basketball court, and because it was so late, more than likely no one else was around anyone around. It is believed that the shooter then walked into Williams’ yard, and caught Williams with his guard down by pretending to be a friendly person knocking at the door.
ACP Edward Broaster - OC, Rural Eastern Division
"John Michael Williams 32 years a Belizean welder of 5 Murtle Waight Crescent Ladyville was shot and killed. The scene was visited the police found the individual lying on the floor with the shot to the forehead; apparently dead."
His girlfriend was perhaps the last person to speak with him alive. She went to run an errand, and while out, she got the news that someone had gunned him down.
Reny Leal - Girlfriend of the Deceased
"I was there, I came out here with my mom and I made tea. I went home and his was in the room sleeping already. I gave him his tea he said he was hungry; I fed him, I ate and he went downstairs because my mom called me and asked me to go and drop a friend home for her."
"I went downstairs I told him I said I gwen already to care my ma friend home. He said okay I will wait on you when you come back and by the time I reach to whe I mi the gwen fi he son call me and tell me they just kill ih pa and whe part I deh and da so I hurry reach back home. I never know it mi so serious."
The cops aren’t revealing if they know exactly how the crime happened, but they have a suspect who they are looking for, and this homemade gun which shoots 9mm rounds.
ACP Edward Broaster - OC, Rural Eastern Division
"We conducted searches in the Japan area this morning. We did discover two what we would call single shot homemade gun in the area."
This main suspect, Egbert Baldwin, appears to have slipped through the Supreme Court’s checks and balances, because he was charged with 2 serious offences. Yet, he was released on bail twice, over a short period of time, and now, the cops think he is somehow involved in this murder.
ACP Edward Broaster - OC, Rural Eastern Division
"On the 14th of May we arrested and charged several individuals for attempted murder of Casey Lozano Ital. One of those individual had gotten Supreme Court bail and subsequent to that on the 12th of July 2016 he was arrested and charged for robbery. He went to prison; he came back out on Supreme Court bail again. Now this individual is the suspect for the murder that occurred last night. We have issued an arrest warrant for one Egbert Baldwin "Eggy" who is the suspect in this murder."
Daniel Ortiz
"Is this is your mind or is this a concern of yours that this gentleman was allowed to be given bail twice on such serious crimes?"
ACP Edward Broaster - OC, Rural Eastern Division
"While we respect the right to individual freedom and liberty when you get Supreme Court bail its with condition and you’re not to be arrest for any crime and so forth. He got Supreme Court bail again and he came back out and now he is the main suspect in this matter. So yes we're very concerned about that situation."
But, while police say that their main suspect is very well-known to them, they have all reasons to believe that the last night’s murder victim was a law-abiding citizen.
ACP Edward Broaster - OC, Rural Eastern Division
"We have no contact with Mr. Williams."
Daniel Ortiz
"So by all appearances he was a law abiding citizen?"
ACP Edward Broaster - OC, Rural Eastern Division
"As far as we know at this time."
Reny Leal - Girlfriend of the Deceased
"John no mess with nobody. When he pick up me he go care me da work every morning and when I the come home da evening I text me and I tell he I deh by the bridge and he come out at the bus stop and he wait for me and he go home he no come out at all. I da come out in the car go buy da shop to make tea you know; come da my ma and go home back till next day again. He no come out, he no mess with nobody. He da wa friendly person I no know why somebody would have something against John."
William’s girlfriend is hoping that police locate and arrest Baldwin very quickly
Reny Leal - Girlfriend of the Deceased
"Well they no find ah yet but they know da who and I just hope that they find and I just hope they deal with how he fi get deal with because he take somebody life innocently way upstairs of the house he gone; way up there."
The Rural commanders told us that they have seen homemade firearms before which use shotgun cartridges, but this is the first time they’ve seen one which fires 9mm rounds.
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