There was a murder in Placencia last night near the village's municipal Pier. It happened just before 7:00 when 22-year-old George Murphy was shot multiple times - in what looks like an execution.
Murphy was walking with some friends, a male and two females looking for an outlet to charge a cell phone, when a gunman ambushed them.
Tonight, his family is struggling to accept his tragic death, telling Cherisse Halsall that while Murphy was troubled, he had a lot of untapped potential.:
Fisherman George Murphy met a violent end last night near Placencia's Municipal pier. It's a shocking end for a young fisherman who his family says spent his days at sea.
And, this morning we heard via phone from his sister in law who told us that George's murderer came to the village with the intent to kill.
Cara Sierra - Sister-in-law
"Well for sure we know 100% that the guys who did this to him are not from here, they're not from Placencia. A family member reached out to me and said that he got shot but we weren't sure so we called his other brother to find out and that when we found out that it was true and he was on the ground in front of him with a bullet hole in his head. He was either trapped, they either used him as bait or you know the crowd that he chose to be his friends something in between there."
But while George's sister in law was close to the tragedy his brother Marcel who lives in the Belize district says that it's an unimaginable scenario and one that he's at pains to explain to his children
Marcel Gill - Brother of the deceased
"I'm still in disbelief that it happened to him because he's not that type of person he's very outgoing, always happy, loved fishing, when he'd come to the village here he's take my little son and they'd play in the drain together because that's the only thing you could do in the village but he was a happy person. I just never thought that he's have a day like the tragedy that happened. He meant everything to me and my family because like right now I'm still in disbelief that it even happened and it's hard to explain it to my kids because my kids they were very attached to him like every time he'd come it was Georgie this Georgie that and they were happy to go anywhere with him. It's just a sad moment."
Police say that at this time they have no leads.
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero - Deputy, HNCIB
"We do not know at this time, ah, what motivated this shooting. They were at the pier and this persons came and fired shots towards them. I can confirm that yes he had been charged in the past for various crimes and he had been to prison before."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you all aware of any gang rivalry in this village?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"Not at this time, no."
Jules Vasquez
"Supposedly before he was killed, he told, he told the shooter that he had, he has the wrong man. Are you all aware of this, might not have been a case of mistaken identity, or..."
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"We are following up. Leads and again we have no motive and suspect at this time."
Jules Vasquez
"You all must have an idea of who would so such a thing executing a young man in downtown."
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"Yeah investigators are presently out there trying to find out what caused this murder in the event that there is any, to prevent any retaliation then."
And, while the cops try and keep the peace Placencia tonight is a village shaken by violence that struck in a place that, for many, seems way too close to home.
Cherisse Halsall
"As a villager it must be shocking to you because yes, as you say the pier was his second home, but for people that live in the village it's where you take your children swimming on Sunday afternoon, it's community center, how is it to know that your family member was killed there?"
Cara Sierra
"It was definitely mind boggling when we got the news. Our village especially that area is very tranquil so for something like that drastic to happen you know very shocking. We still can't wrap our heads around the fact that why him, u know, why him? That's all we, you know, we need answers and we want justice."
CRIMESTOPPERS is offering a reward of up to $2000.00 for information leading to the arrest of Murphy's assailant. The public is asked to call 922 or use the P3 app to provide the relevant information
