Five gruesome murders over the long weekend have left families in the Belize, Cayo, and Toledo Districts in mourning. We begin with a young father of one who was ambushed and shot several times in Belmopan on Saturday night. 24-year-old Nicholas Moodie was reportedly ambushed in the dark area on the Intelco Hill - and his last words to his common-law wife will hopefully aid the police in finding his killers. Courtney Menzies went west today and has this story.
A two year old boy will have to grow up without the father he loved so dearly after gunmen took the life of 24-year-old Nicholas Moodie. Moodie was a taxi man whom his family believes was lured to his death on top of the Intelco Hill just outside Belmopan on Saturday night.
His common-law wife, Shanice Flowers, told us she had been calling his phone repeatedly just after 7:00, until a police officer answered and told her to rush over to the station. She was eventually able to see him at the hospital, and his last words to her was that he was targeted by two men.
Shanice Flowers, Common-Law Wife
"Upon reaching the front of the station I then got a call from Western Regional stating that I needed to rush to the emergency room. They didn't want to tell me anything until I reach there and it was there that I found out that he was shot."
"I got to see him for probably a minute or so and what was when I asked him what happened and he stated he got robbed and he got shot. But by the time I tried to ask him the second question, who did it, he stated that it was two Hispanic guys that did it to him but he started to faded out and that was when they rushed me out of the hospital, stating that he needed to get urgent surgery."
And that was the last time she saw him alive. Now, she believes that his death might have been orchestrated by the killers.
Courtney Menzies:
"He got killed by Intelco Hill which I understand is a very dark area at night, do you think he was lured there?"
Shanice Flowers, Common-Law Wife
"Well, the way how we're getting the information from the police, it seems to be that way because from the passerby's and the news interviews we have seen and also the information from the police which stated that it was two guys on a motorcycle, which he confirmed to me before he passed away, that it was two guys that attacked him."
But whether he was robbed is left to be determined since police were able to locate his phone. Flowers said, though, that there were no other indications that someone was after her common-law.
Shanice Flowers, Common-Law Wife
"He recently saw me around quarter to five when he dropped me back at home and I asked him if he was gonna come in, because it was the weekend and he doesn't really work late on the weekend, he just stated he needed to do a few more runs, nothing was suspicious in reference to say something was about to happen like that. We didn't expect that any at all."
But while the police's information is that Moodie was ambushed, they have don't have a motive as yet.
Senior Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head NCIB
"Investigation reveal that he was in a taxi parked at Intelco Hill when he was ambushed by persons on motorcycles who fired several shots at him causing his fatal injuries, an investigation is being carried out and we're seeking on suspect in regards to this murder."
"We are not sure what he was doing there, the information is that he was ambushed in that area but we are not sure what he was doing there at that time."
Courtney Menzies:
"And you're not sure if he was lured there?"
Senior Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head NCIB
"No we're not sure, no. He was targeted by persons he may have had a conflict with."
Now Flowers is left to cope with his death - and to take care of their 2-year-old son, whom she said was Moodie's greatest priority.
Shanice Flowers, Common-Law Wife
"He's known around Belmopan, everyone knows he is quiet, he is somebody you can go to him and he's helpful. With his child, well that was his number 1 priority and everyone seemed to know that because everywhere he would go he would talk about his child, that was his main responsible, his main purpose was to push for him."
"We just wish that the persons that did do it at least come out or if anybody saw anything please come out, if you don't want to be known use the unknown tips that the police have just to get some information so we can get justice for him because his life was chanced."
