Last Friday, we told you about the late evening murder of 39-year-old Roman Requena. He's the man who was shot and killed in a broad-daylight shooting in Belize City. Tonight, we know a little more about this gun murder.
As we told you, Requena was inside a yard located at the corner of Magazine Road and Logwood Street. Sometime around 3:30 p.m., an unknown gunman showed up and immediately opened fire on him. He suffered multiple injuries, and he collapsed on the back veranda area of this home. The cops arrived shortly after the shooting. They later rushed to the KHMH, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Investigators have since been looking into this case, and at this time, they believe that he went to the residence to wait for someone he knew. This morning, the deputy head of the National Criminal Investigations Branch gave the media a short briefing on the case. Here's what he told us:
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch
"On Friday 16th April, 2021 police responded to a shooting incident on magazine road. Upon arrival they found the lifeless body of a male person with gunshot injuries. He was taken to the K.H.M.H. where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His name was learnt to be Roman Requena, thirty-nine years old Belizean of Mahogany Heights. Investigation reveals that he was in that yard when a male person came and fired several shots at him resulting in the fatal injuries. An investigation is being carried out into this matter and we do not have a motive at this time."
Reporter
"Can you say if Requena made any recent reports of someone maybe threatened him?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"We have no such report."
Reporter
"Have you been able to establish what he was doing at that location?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"He went to that yard and he was waiting on someone."
Reporter
"So you said no suspects?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"No suspects at this time."
Reporter
"Was he the intended target?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"Well the information we have is yes, he was the person that was targeted."
Reporter
"Is he known to you guys?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"Not that we know of."
Reporter
"Requena is an auxiliary nurse. How does a nurse becomes the target of a murder?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"The information we have is that we was there and he was targeted."
This afternoon, we spoke to Requena's mother at the family's home in Mahogany Heights Village. She declined on-camera comment, but she told us that contrary to our information, her son was a laborer and not an auxiliary nurse. She told us that at this time, she suspects that Requena was targeted due to mistaken identity.
She added that she and her entire family, including Requena, used to live in that yard where he was killed. They subsequently relocated to Mahogany Heights, but whenever Requena travels to Belize City, he would always stop by their former home. Requena's mother also told us that this neighborhood holds sentimental value for him because it is where he grew up. She does not think that he had any enemies because according to her, he was well-liked by the area residents.
Requena leaves behind a son and a daughter.
