Many Belize City residents who've had a death in the family will know Russell Neal - he's the man who runs the Lord's Ridge Cemetery. Well tonight - in a cruel twist - his friends and family and preparing to put him in there after the 58 year old was murdered last night. He was shot in his home in what appears to be a very deliberate attack.
In fact investigators suspect that it may be retaliation for wounding his baby's mother earlier in the day. Her sons disputed that theory when we spoke to them today. Monica Bodden has the story.
Monica Bodden, Reporting
58 year old Russel Neal was shot early this morning at his home on Neal's Pen Road. At the time of the shooting, Neal was at home with his girlfriend who told us they heard a loud banging on the front door a little after 1:00 this morning. She said Neal decided to take a look through this side window. That was when his attacker fired a single shot through the window hitting him to the upper right side of his chest. His girlfriend said she recalled Neal saying "You got me" and then he fell to the floor. Neal died while being transported to the KHMH.
The story gets more complex since many are saying that Neal's life was threatened just yesterday - by his baby's mother - Bernadette Iguawarto.
Solomon Gabriel - Co - Worker
"Pertaining to what I saw transpired yesterday, it shocked me yes, but I was more stunned to know that they accomplished what they say they were going to do. They did exactly what they said they were going to do."
Iguawarto and Neal were involved in an altercation yesterday in front of his work place. Iguawarto who is the mother of Neal's 14 year old daughter - allegedly came to pick up a hundred dollars from Neal but instead she was given only 75 dollars. That was when the argument started which lead to Neal pushing her off her bicycle.
Solomon Gabriel - Co - Worker
"Actually when she came they had reasoning upon she moving away and when she received a certain wager, she stated that she wanted $100 but she only got $75. She wanted more and that's what started the altercation. It's a slight misunderstanding. On her way leaving she start sending death threats; she says that she will send somebody to kill him. Anybody that makes a threat like that you have o take it serious. He just ran into her direction and push her off slowly, she lost control and slip and hurt herself, the she went beyond that and got two individual which we identify now as her son coming back on the scene."
Today Iquawarto's son said he did talk to Russell Neal yesterday - but there were no threats made by him -nor by his friend who was along with him. He said they just went to pick up his mother's bicycle that was left behind. That was when Russell called him and told him what happened.
Voice of Iguawarto's son
"Russell told me that my mother went there and that he called her there to get some money. My mother went to get the money, that's when the quarrel started. Russell told me that he pushed her, but that he didn't push her that hard for her face to be scar. But when I saw my mother's face that looks like more than just a push, it looks like he push her face in a wall or something. I can't say that my mother had threatened him because I was not out there when the incident occured, so I can't say if my mother had threatened him. He told me that my mother had threatened him but I can't say. I told him 'Russell, what kinds of threat can my mother threaten you?' My mother can't do anyone anything."
Monica Bodden
"A lot of fingers are pointing here."
Voice of Iguawarto's son
"We don't have anything to do with Russell. From we leave him yesterday we haven't seen him. We came home."
Today Iguawarto is detained by police for questioning in connection with last night's shooting.
Voice of Iguawarto's son
"It's really unfair because my mother don't have anything to do with that. They have their own talking, so how will they lock up my mother for something that she didn't do? She is at home from when she came from the hospital. The CIB officers brought her home. She didn't go out; nobody came here. So how will we have anything with Russell death? Tell them to talk to his wife because he and his wife are going through their problems."
Russell Neal was the caretaker of the Lord Ridge Cemetery. Today his co workers all gathered under this home to share what they remembered most of the man who was once their boss.
Bernard Richard - Co-Worker
"Well when I heard the news that Mr. Neal got shot I really felt sad and started to cry for him because Mr. Neal was a very good boss at the cemetery and we will find another boss like Mr. Neal."
Voice of Iguawarto's son
"They are trying to mess up people lives out here. How can they say that I carry a gun to Mr. Neal when I don't have any gun or knife. They don't know that I know that man a long time before them. That man used to be my stepfather and I don't have any problems with him. Those 3 guys that are working for him is telling a lie. In front of their face I can say that they are telling a lie because we didn't go there with anything. We just went there to get our bicycles when I spoke to the man. That's was it right there, I don't know anything after that. My family personally don't have anything to do with Russell's death. What I want to say to the police is to do a proper investigation to find out who killed the man."
So at this hour, Bernadette Iguawarto remains detained along with Russell Neal's girlfriend who was in the house with him when he got shot - and is the only eyewitness who told police she saw nothing.
