An American college professor has been killed and it could be a case of mistaken identity. 43-year-old Peter Phillips, who is a professor at Galen University in Cayo, was killed with a machete in Teakettle Village. Phillips' body was found yesterday evening but he may have been killed from Sunday night. Keith Swift has the story from Teakettle.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The murder scene was this picturesque estate on a hilltop in Teakettle Village. Peter Phillips' body was found buried under these pieces of lumber in the backyard. The gruesome discovery was made by Merrilyn Bevans who lives next door. She says she became concerned on Monday afternoon.
Merrilyn Bevans, Found the Body
"My cousin who lives right up on the hill where the incident happened came to look for me and told me that she was calling Mr. Peters from morning and there was no response and he hadn't come out and feed the dogs or nothing. Me and her went into the yard, we opened the fence and were looking around. We called for the man and he didn't answer. She called the house phone off her cellular phone and still there was no answer. So I told her the best thing for us to do is come out the yard and call the police. She called the police but they didn't come right away.
So we went back down the hill and came down to went to look for our aunty over there because the lady who lived over there are good friends with the man and from there all four of us went up the hill. We searched the yard, we called again and the house phone just rang, we knocked on the door and there was no answer and my cousin Sherine walked through the back and it is her who discovered the body under those board there. When I came around from the front of the house and went to the back, she said see the man under boards, he is dead. We called the police again and told them we found the body but the man is already dead.
When the police took off the boards, he had a bust in the back of his head, on his face, and everywhere had blood."
Police say that Peter Phillips may have just been at the wrong place at the wrong time. That is because Phillips actually lives in Belmopan but he was here in teakettle taking care of this house for a friend.
Sgt. Sinquest Martinez, Lead Investigator
"Our investigation is now telling us that it was just unfortunately a mishap. He might have been at the wrong place at the wrong time."
Sergeant Sinquest Martinez is the lead investigator.
Sgt. Sinquest Martinez,
"Mr. Phillips just came, he was just in charge of this house less than a week. The actual owner of the house is not in the country, he is out of the country, and that is the reason why I am saying he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is an unfortunate death for him."
Keith Swift,
Did he come to check on the place, is that what happened?
Sgt. Sinquest Martinez,
"He was just taking care of the house for the actual owners."
Those owners are in the United States and Phillips was staying in their house. Neighbors say that just hours before the murder - they saw the police's prime suspect -who had a personal relationship with the owner's daughter - sneaking around the house.
Merrilyn Bevans,
"I saw him stooped down by the fence. I flashed my light to see who it was. He got up and walked into the yard. So I ran to holler for her and I told her to come to let me show her the boy who had just whapped out a man, the owner of the house last week. I said the boy who whapped out Pastor Joe. So she ran out and we saw him knocking on the door to go in but it looked like the man didn't hear because the TV was on loud. So I didn't stay a long while so after that I came home about 20 minutes after because he was still beating on the door and he never got in."
Sgt. Sinquest Martinez,
"We have detained one suspect who is the prime suspect of this investigation."
Peter was an adjunct professor here at Galen University. He began teaching a course in world history on July 2nd. Nancy Adamson is the provost at Galen University.
Nancy Adamson, Provost - Galen University
"Its really a shock. Peter was a lively person, full of life. Enjoying life and I can't believe he is not here anymore."
Sayuri Cattouse was one of Phillips' students.
Sayuri Cattouse, Student
"I only knew him for a week because last week Saturday he was quite sick so he didn't come to classes. So from knowing him that short time, he was quite a nice person and quite knowledgeable about the subject being taught."
Keith Swift,
So when you got the news…
Sayuri Cattouse,
"Really shocking and such a surreal event happening. Like this is Belize, what is going on."
And nowhere is that reality more tangible than on the ground on Teakettle, the scene of the brutal murder. Residents are still trying to make sense out of it.
Merrilyn Bevans,
"Its really shocking because it could be anybody, you understand. We live close and we were right here and we didn't hear no noise, we didn't hear anything."
Keith Swift,
And this is Teakettle, a quite village.
Merrilyn Bevans,
"Yes not in a small village like this, we don't expect that. We know the town is hot but the village is getting just like the town."
A post mortem conducted this afternoon certified that Phillips was chopped in the back of his head with a machete. There were additionally injuries to his head. Police say Phillips was attacked from behind. That is key because Phillips is much taller than the prime suspect who police expect to charge tomorrow.
Peter Phillips had just begun teaching at Galen University. Prior to that, he was a teacher at Belize Christian Academy. He had a residence on Ambergris Avenue in Belmopan.
