And moving west, 29-year-old Matthew Smith was also murdered yesterday, sometime after 7pm. He was attending an event following the Citizens Parade in San Ignacio when a beef from the night before led to him being stabbed multiple times.
Smith had only been living in Cayo for two years, and though he had been previously charged with murder in 2016, he had been found not guilty. According to his friend, he was trying to change his life, but suffered from anger management issues.
Courtney Menzies has this story.
This junction at the corner of Savannah and Karen Streets in San Ignacio may look like the picture of serenity, but last night, this location at the center of the town was the scene of a gruesome murder.
29-year-old Matthew Smith had moved from Belize City to San Ignacio for a better life - one where he would be able to work and provide for his family. But last night, a fight turned fatal for him after he was inflicted with multiple stab wounds.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Police Press Officer
"We know that investigators so far uncovered that Matthew Smith was involved in a fight with a group of men at the Macal Park where there was a function being held after the parade. This fight is a two time incident because these gentlemen were involved in another fight on the 20th of September at a dance that was being held at a venue in San Ignacio also, it is unfortunate that the rival group saw him at Macal Park and someone else that was in his company that they were involved with that fight on that 20th night."
And before he moved to San Ignacio, he was a resident of Plues Street.
Seen here in a white shirt, he had been charged for murder, and gotten off in 2017 after years on remand.
After that, he lived with a close friend, one who was more like a brother to him. And today, Jeffery Tillett explained that though he had lost touch with Smith, he never expected to hear of his friend's murder.
Jeffery Tillett, Friend of Deceased
"I knew him for a long time, I grew up with him and his mom. He is a caring person; he was very helpful and its sad to see what happened to him. I don't really know what happened, it wasn't something I'd expect to happen, I don't know how the family feels. Not even I knew where he was at the time. I know here was the last place he lived, with me and my family. I know the guy was a caring person who wanted to take care of his family and I don't know him as a trouble person. He went through a lot and it's not the first time he got stabbed. I was shocked because last night we just came from carnival so, when i heard the news I was shocked because I knew that he would have been right here with me if he wasn't up there and he'd help me with everything like clean my yard. He's helped me with everything I've had to do in my yard as someone who cares. If he saw someone needed help, he would've helped them. What I know is that he's a person who has a little anger problem but that's life, everyone has anger issues it's just how you work it out because other people take it differently."
As far as Tillett knew, Smith had one young daughter and worked in construction.
Police have so far detained two suspects, both men, ages 22 and 30. They were both found with bloody clothes, and one of them also had a knife. The younger man also had stab wounds inflicted to his abdomen.
