There was another broad daylight murder in Belize City over the weekend. The murder scene this time was on Central American Boulevard yesterday and it has left a 20-year-old dead, a family fed up, and a community outraged. Keith Swift has the story.
Neighbor,
“Pon Sunday I think all of us should respect that day because that is the day God gave us to have peace and rest.”
But yesterday around 10:30 am - there was no peace inside this yard at number 3 Central American Boulevard. 20-year-old Tyron Castellanos was standing behind this zinc fence when he was fatally shot. Catherine Blease – who asked us not to show her face – was one of about 7 people – including young children with their toys – who were in the yard when a gunman approached and opened fire.
Catherine Blease, Witness
“The young boys just came, they rode around, they went through the street there and came back, and then they rode across the Boulevard and they went by Berges’ house and they stood up there because it was three young boys. They stood up by Berges house and they hold his bike while one of them came across the street and bust the shot. And when he bust the shot, everybody run because that is the only thing we could have done for our lives – run. Then time the young boy was already shot in his head but we didn’t know.
When they were shooting more shots, the young boy collapsed down there and my sister in law still stood up there by and at that time everybody just ran. Nobody didn’t know he was left down there and he was dead.”
Lisa Tracey was doing laundry in the yard when the shots rang out. She too asked us to distort her face.
Lisa Tracey, Witness
“When we heard the gunshots, well I was looking to run inside for my young baby who was lying in the chair right and one of the boys actually hauled me off my step. I could say that my boyfriend’s nephew saved my life because I could have gotten shot too. When we got up, after a little fifteen minutes, we were conscious that somebody was down there. I knew he dropped and when the rest of people came into the yard to find out what happened, they took out the young boy and put him at the back of a truck. The young boy had a gunshot behind his head.”
This is where Tyrone Castellanos collapsed. The shot to the head was fatal and Castellanos – who is known to his friends as ‘Bucket’ - died at the KHMH. His mom Lisa Neal says the last time she saw her son alive was earlier on Sunday morning.
Lisa Neal, Mother of Murder Victim
“Right now Keith I am speechless. I don’t have words right now. It is like my whole body is still in shock and thing. I don’t know what
to say, don’t boys just don’t want to put down the guns.”
Keith Swift,
When was the last time you saw Tyrone alive?
Lisa Neal,
“Sunday morning. That is the last time.”
Keith Swift,
Did he tell you where he was going, what he was going to do?
Lisa Neal,
“He just told me he was going to go take a walk, that’s all. He didn’t tell me where he was going or anything.”
Police have already arrested Alrick Olivera for her son’s murder and are seeking Cordel Flowers and Charles Castillo. Police say the murder was preceded by an argument.
Sgt. Hilberto Romero, 2nd in Command – CIB
“He was on Central American Boulevard when he was approached by these three persons. There was a misunderstanding, a small struggle, after which the deceased was shot.”
ACP Allan Whylie, Commander – Eastern Division
“Police have in their custody one Alrick Olivera who has been arrested and charged for the crime of murder. We also have issued warrants in the first instance for the arrest of Charles Castillo and also one Cordel Flowers. As we speak we have officers around the city seeking out these persons but we again will be asking the media to assist us by publicizing their photographs to the public that hopefully that will allow us to get these persons in custody before any other incidents occur. These persons we must say are armed and we consider them to be dangerous.”
Catherine Blease,
“I know three of the boys because three of them grew up around here, born and grow around here.”
Keith Swift,
Any reason why they would come and shoot up this yard?
Catherine Blease,
“Well I don’t know why they come but they say they are bloods. They say here is crips but no one here is crips because only my brother and his girlfriend and their kids live in here. Their friends come and look for them, nobody gang bangs in here, nobody goes and shoot at anyone here.”
This isn’t the first time that the Matura family house here on Central American Boulevard has come under fire. This is actually the second time for this year and Catherine Blease says that they have come under fire so many times that most of the holes on their zinc fence are actually bullet holes.
Catherine Blease,
“Watch my brother fence right now, those are all bullet holes. I don’t know what is their problem.”
Keith Swift,
Who do you think they were trying to kill?
Catherine Blease,
“That is what I want to know. They just saw a crowd of boys and they decided to have fun and shoot up the young boys.”
Less than two weeks ago Catherine’s cousin Delroy Matura was critically wounded in another shooting.
Catherine Blease,
“It is really rough because right now with my little cousin, my little cousin is like a baby. I have to be taking care of him right now. Those young boys don’t care what they do. They don’t worry about who they shoot and what happens after that. They just come and do their thing and then go about their business. Look at my brother now, my brother and my little niece and my nephew are in fear of their lives because my sister in law cannot even sleep. She can’t sleep because she watched that little boy die in front of her and it was somebody we were running joke with. We were running joke about girls; we weren’t messing with anyone. And it is a every time thing now. They are coming and shooting my brother yard.”
Neighbor,
“And those boys nowadays they don’t respect nothing. They don’t respect the day, they don’t respect God, they don’t respect nothing. And I am crying out to them, and I am crying out to them because I have a little neighbor who lives right beside me and she has small children who are always running in this yard playing. What if one of those bullets would hit the child innocently? They must stop it.”
Catherine Blease,
”I don’t really know what’s going on with those little boy but they have to stop this.”
And for “Bucket” Castellanos’ mother – the pain is unbearable.
Lisa Neal,
“It is tearing me up inside. Tear me up, I am telling you. It is hard, it is hard. They just killed him just like that. It is hard for me you know. I am just trying to be strong and thing right now and I have to accept it. He is already dead.”
Again police have charged 20-year-old Alrick Olivera for murder and they are searching for 19-year-old Cordel Flowers and Charles Castillo. police say the suspects are armed and should be considered dangerous.
