So how did a peaceful Independence holiday turn deadly for this coast guard? Well, according to the communications officer at the police department, the incident could have been avoided. That's because the two victims went back to Perez's house after Gill and Perez had reportedly settled their argument over the traffic incident, and that confrontation is what led to the fatal stabbing. Morter allegedly had nothing to do with the initial argument, but now, he's the only one in the morgue. ASP Fitzroy Yearwood told us what the police know so far.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department
"On Tuesday September 21st, sometime around 4:30pm police visited the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they saw Elston Morter, a 28 year-old Belizean Coast Guard with a stab wound to the body. They also observed Marcel Gill, Belizean security guard of George Price Highway with a stab wound to the body also. Initial investigation revealed that around 4:15 p.m., Morter and Gill were socializing at Gill's residence when they went to another residence in that vicinity, Leon Perez. An argument ensued between Perez, Morter and Gill where Perez pulled out a knife, inflicting that fatal wound to Morter and injuring Gill. Morter was pronounced dead at the Karl Heusner and his body now awaits a post-mortem."
"According to investigators, there was a minor accident earlier that involved Morter and a young man Perez. Apparently, it was settled where I cannot say who acknowledged fault, but investigators just gave me a quick brief and I got to understand that these men went to Perez home after it was settled apparently wanting to have a conversation and I don't know if that's what triggered some sort of anger, but unfortunately a life was lost. As we know that Perez is also a member of the Belize Defence Force which has nothing to do with any form of clash between any of the arm forces, but at the end of the day we believe that that situation could have been avoided if they had just leave it on a time and day that they had made their arrangement for. We are not trying to blame anyone, but incidents like these that occur, you would want to know what would trigger something like this to happen. Our investigators are doing their utmost best to try to gather all the facts so that we can make a conclusive decision at the end of our investigation. Of course, you know in a case like this we would seek the advice of the office of the DPP."
