Earlier in the news, we told you about four of six of the weekend's gruesome murders. But the killing began on Friday night, and two southern villagers were the targets.
28-year-old Otis Gladden was shot three times just outside his home around 7pm. Reports are that his murder was drug-related, but his family thinks otherwise.
Courtney Menzies travelled to Santa Cruz village - at the Placencia junction - where the former George Street resident lived - here's her story.
28-year-old Otis Gladden had just moved to his home in Santa Cruz with his common-law wife and her daughter about a year ago, before death came knocking on his door.
The suspect reportedly arrived at Gladden's house on Friday night in a white BMW and asked him to come outside. Not long after, gunshots rang out, and Gladden fell to the ground.
His neighbors never expected such violence that night, so they didn't react until they heard the screaming.
Fernando Mejia, Neighbor
"We first thought it was pop shots but afterwards we heard his wife start to scream and as soon as she start to scream, all the people start to go out and see what is happening and when we saw it was him, he was right there in the street with three shots he got, and his brain was out. Only that we saw. First we didn't see nobody, no car or nothing, we never hear nothing. But the three shots. But first nobody gone out or nobody saw anything. About three minutes after the lady start to bawl."
And though Mejia lives a stone's throw away from the Gladden, he did not know the victim well since he said Gladden mostly kept to himself.
He noted though that that area is prone to crime because of the lack of lampposts.
Fernando Mejia, Neighbor
"This street right here at night, it's too dark and so if something happen right here nobody can see nothing because you see yonder is bush, all bush, no light. So nobody can see right here."
While the neighbors were unsure of what exactly happened, the police filled in some details.
Senior Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head NCIB
"He was at home when persons came looking for him and he went out, therefore gunshots were heard and he was found with the injuries and he was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An investigation is being conducted, several persons are detained pending investigation at this time. We are following several leads, and one of the leads that we are following is that he might have been involved in some illicit activity with these persons."
But his sister, Jane Gladden, disagreed with the police's theory. She told us that Gladden had originally moved from Belize City to get away from the crime life.
Voice of: Jane Gladden, Sister
"They called me and told me they just set up your brother, he went to shop and when he came back, they lay-waited him. That was it, I hang up the phone, call my mom and my sister."
Courtney Menzies:
"And it was his wife that told you this?"
Jane Gladden, Sister
"Yes, his common-law. The city was getting hot four years ago so he just moved out of Belize City, he says he doesn't want this life so he just migrate to Santa Cruz."
"He was a very joyful person, everything you ask, he tries to do and get for you. Friendly, everybody can't say he disrespect them in any kind of way. Noh kill nobody, he was just outgoing."
Courtney Menzies:
"The police were saying that he might have been killed because he was involved in some illicit activity - presumably drugs."
Jane Gladden, Sister
"That's their opinion."
Courtney Menzies:
"You don't know your brother to be that kind of person."
Jane Gladden, Sister
"That's their opinion."
Gladden's sister said that he had no children of his own. His common-law wife and her daughter have since moved from their home in Santa Cruz.
