Last night on this newscast, Eastern Division boss Chester Williams said, "it is time for us to stop dialogue. We need to go into some more swift and severe actions." Well, less than an hour after those words were broadcast, the swift and severe actions would come not from police, but from the criminal elements, who rained down on the city with calculated violence last night. 31-year-old Jerrie Jones was fatally shot inside a bar around 7:30 pm and, 3 hours later, 28-year-old Tyrone "Cas" Castillo was killed on Mayflower Street. That's two murders in one night - 6 in 8 days - a staggering toll of unchecked violence. Here's the story of what happened last night. Keith SwiftReports.
Melanie Myers, Jerrie Jones' Wife
[Sobbing] "I miss him so bad. That is my companion."
Melanie Myers is distraught over the murder of her common-law husband 31-year-old Jerrie Jones. Police say that around 7:30 last night - Jerrie was sitting inside mike's club on Regent Street West - when a gunman approached him and opened fire. His sister in law Jaclyn Francis was at work nearby and heard the gunshots.
Jaclyn Francis, Sister in law of Deceased
"I came out of work about 25 minutes to eight when I heard some gunshots, me and some co-workers and then we decided to go to my Mike's Club, because that is where my brother in law hangs out, when we saw police going that way. When I got there I asked who got shot and they told me it was a red skinned dread boy. So I told that that was my brother in law but I wasn't sure at the time. So I decided to go and ask someone who I new from Mike's Club and that's when he told me that it was Jerry that got shot."
Jerrie Jones was shot at close range and he was hit in his left toe and lower back. He died on the way to the hospital. His common-law wife Melanie Myers was at home preparing supper when she got the news.
Melanie Myers,
"I came home and I was frying the chicken and I brother hauled up and told me in my ears that they just shot Jerry. I told him no, don't tell me that and when I reached at the hospital and my sister told me he was
dead. I don't know why because he has three children, two boys and one girl. I don't know why. Twelve and a half years we were together. I don't know why. I want to ask them why, why did they do it to him. What did he do?"
And though they never married in those twelve years together - Melanie Myers says they didn't just kill her common-law husband - they killed her best friend and the father of her three children.
Melanie Myers,
"He is my everything. My everything they took away from me. My everything; my job; my friend, because I don't have any friend. He is my friend, I can talk to him about anything. I don't go anyway. Me and him just stay home with the baby and he takes care of our baby them. Nothing else I don't have. I miss him so bad. I miss him so bad. 12 years just gaan like that out of my life. 12 years man, I can't take it no more. I watched them dead on theatre table. He told me we would die together but obviously he went before me."
Just about three hours after the Jerrie Jones murder - police were called to another murder scene. This one was on Mayflower Street. Police say that around 10:30 - Tyrone Castillo was standing here when a man jumped out of a Suzuki Vitara. He was armed with a gun and had a red rag over his face. Police say Tyrone Castillo was shot multiple times in his back.
Tyrone was shot to the left side of his back, left side of his ribcage, left arm, and right side of his chest. After the shooting - the killer jumped into the vehicle and sped off. Tyrone lives on Central American Boulevard but he was on Mayflower Street attending a wake for George "Junie Balls" McKenzie. His mom Donna Castillo says her son was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Donna Castillo, Mother of Tyrone Castillo
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone took his life innocently."
Keith Swift,
What was he doing on Mayflower Street?
Donna Castillo,
"He told some friends that he was
going to a wake to show his respect. That is where he went."
Keith Swift,
So you don't think he was the target?
Donna Castillo,
"No he got shot by mistake."
Tyrone's aunt is Carol James who says the news shocked her because her nephew isn't a troublemaker.
Carol James, Aunt of Deceased
"This doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make the country better. It makes it worse and people come in Belize City seeing all these killings and it is a disaster. Tyrone was a very good nephew of mine. He was very very close to me and I am sad to see him die so senselessly. But that is the way I guess he was supposed to die but it is so hard to know that all these young people dying so senselessly but something has to be done about it."
A sober call for an end to the violence which last night has left two young men dead and this wife emotionally shattered, this little girl fatherless, this mother in grief, this aunt outraged, and a terrified community wondering what and where next.
Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid says there is no evidence to suggest the murders are related to Monday night's execution of George "Junie Balls" McKenzie." Again we note that Tyrone Castillo was at a wake for former crip leader "Junie Balls" McKenzie and his killer is reported to have worn a red rag over his face. Junie Balls will be buried tomorrow.
