And while police investigate that possible crime of passion in Benque Viejo - a true crime of passion was concluded today in the Supreme Court. It was one of the most shocking stories of 2002 when Windell Belisle killed his estranged wife Michelle Belisle at Price Barracks in Ladyville. Both were civilian employees - with Michelle working in the canteen and Windell working in the vehicle unit.
But on that Tuesday morning, Windell Belisle walked the 300 feet over to the Canteen and stabbed his ex wife several times in front of several eyewitnesses. He was charged with murder, but today he plea-bargained down to manslaughter. Belisle's attorney, Merlene Matute-Moody pointed to what she called provocation, specifically that Michelle Belisle had another man, Sebastian Nunez a BDF Soldier, and further alleged that she had spent a weekend with him at a resort in Southern Belize just two days earlier. Matute-Moody also disclosed that Windell Belisle had reportedly taken out a $4,000 loan for her three weeks before the incident.
Of course, the other side of that - told at the time of the killing by the family - is that Windell has a long history of physically abusing Michelle. They were separated and because of his behaviour, she had taken out a restraining order on him a day before the killing. But despite that, the court accepted the plea bargain, and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.