And while white collar crime is dominating the headlines for a change, today, again, murder was the case on the southside of Belize City. It’s been a long spell without a murder in the city; the last occurred on July fifth. It was a much needed peace after 50 plus murders nationally in the first half of the year. But the peace ended with a murderous bang in the Yabra area today. Jacqueline Godwin was on the scene shortly after. Here’s her report.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Reports are that twenty one year old Reynold Michael, a well known furniture maker from the area was on his bicycle here at the corner of Young Street and West Collet Canal by the good news Seventh Day Adventist Church when two men, one we understand wearing a bright orange t–shirt rode up on a bicycle and fired two shots at him. Michael managed to run up Collet Canal as the gunmen continued to shoot at him. Reynold Michael finally collapsed about one hundred and fifty yards away.
The pair of white tennis shoes left behind marks the spot where he fell on the street. When 7News arrived on the scene, a team from scenes of crime was already there. It is not certain how many expended shells or what other evidence was collected.
The murder of 21 year old Reynold Michael, the owner of the Poor People Furniture,
is very troubling because everyone we spoke with in the neighbourhood described him as a young and well respected young man who only one year ago started his own business to help meet the needs of the poor people in Belize. So why was this young and promising entrepreneur killed? Well word on the street is that the murder was a strong message sent to someone who may be close to Reynold Michael.
Reynold Michael was killed only a few blocks away from where he lived with his mother Marjorie Gillett who he had a close relationship. Marjorie says Reynold was a dependable son.
Voice of Marjorie Gillett, Mother of Murder Victim
“I could say he, if he is even sad he would do the things for me and I could tell him, “Reynold go up the street, go and buy something” and he will go and buy it.”
In fact Reynold had left the house go and purchase more material for two pillows he was making this morning when he was murdered.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Just last year he started his own business, the Poor People’s Furniture business and it seems like he had a lot of jobs so this is the last thing I would imagine you would see happen to your son.”
Voice of Marjorie Gillett,
“Yes that would be the last thing because everyday I get up I pray for him and everything and just this morning I saw him ride gone over the bridge. He said Mommy I will go and see about the cotton and things for me to come back and stuff it. I told him I was going to credit union and you hurry come back because remember it is only your granny one and this lil baby here. I admired him because he had downfalls in his life with jobs and everything and it started to pick up back and I felt proud of him. I went with him to the AGM meetings and things like that and this is one of the sons I think good would have come out of for me.”:
And while Marjorie Gillett will rely on her strong faith to get through the loss of her son she also had strong words of advice for troubled youths.
Voice of Marjorie Gillett,
“It is a loss for because out of the children I have, he is the only one that is down there right now and I leave everything to God. God will help me through it. He will give me strength because right now I have strength. I don’t know if I will break down after this or what but I have strength right now and to anybody out there, any young boys, I beg them please stop it because I already said it before my son died, I already said, I asked for please stop the killing and now it comes to my door. I feel it yes but I have to be strong for my rest of children, especially the younger ones.”
Belize City Police would only say that they are looking for two suspects. Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7News.
