Tonight, Belize City is mourning the murder of one of its most beloved residents.
Pastry Vendor Wayne "Pie Bwai" Myles, he was the City's Mayor of Good Vibes - and the sugary treats he sold were only a small part of his overall sweetness.
When he was killed on Friday night - it sent the city into shock. Pie Bwai plied his trade on the city streets - but he was no kind of street or gang figure. He was devout in his spirituality - and always spreading blessings wherever he went.
So why would anyone kill such a loving man? Jules Vasquez tried to find out today:
62 year old Wayne Myles was killed as he sat inside his house on 11th Street on Friday night around 8:30. His brother saw a silver mid-sized SUV coming down the street and thought nothing of it:
Floyd Myles, Brother of Deceased
"I observe wah vehicle coming this way, but I didn't know that is the vehicle that hurt my brother, so I didn't expect anything."
"While closer to the house, one of my nephews Ryan, he told me uncle, your brother got hurt. So when I reach the door I saw my brother stretched out on the ground bleeding from the side."
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"Initial investigation revealed that Myles was at this residence when an armed male person entered the yard and is reported to have fired one shot in the air. When this was done, it is reported that Mr Myles opened a window and that was when the gunman fired two additional shots, one of which fatally injured Mr Myles. The male person then made good his escape onboard a motor vehicle that brought him to that location. The scene was processed by scenes of crimes technicians and investigators have retrieved a number of video footages from relevant locations which are now being reviewed with a view to advancing this ongoing investigation."
But who would target a man who was synonymous with peace and love? He sold pastries - but the real sweetness came from his spirituality and the tender, personalized attention he offered his customers. Pie Bwai was a Belize City institution, captured here in this Rachel Heusner painting as part of the permanent landscape. We captured his spirit in this story from 2012, at the time he was rumored to have been killed:
Posted: April 23rd 2012
Wayne Myles, Deceased
"I came to the press to show that "pie boy" is alive. I am still here and alive." (LAUGHS)
Sadly, not this time. Not even his door, inscribed with panels of worship could fend off the evil that came looking for him on Friday night:
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"No motive has been established however we do know that an occupant of the yard where Mr Myles resides is a person who has been charged previously for gang related activity."
Jules Vasquez
"They seh one of his nephew or one of his son or something might involve in gang. You know anything about that?"
Floyd Myles, Brother of Deceased
"No sir, my nephew not in gang. Both of my nephews work."
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"I cannot say whether he was the intended target however that is one of the possible avenues that we are pursuing because by all indications, Mr Myles was a very loved individual who is not known to be engaged in any nefarious activities. Personally, Mr Myles, I have known him for quite some time and it's certainly a loss that I have felt because on various occasions I would have interacted with him and the sentiment I have and which has been echoed on social is that he is nothing but peace and he exudes that aura so we do know and we have no reason to believe Mr Myles was the target in that incident but because of his relation to persons who live in that yard, that is one of the possible motives that is being pursued."
Floyd Myles, Brother of Deceased
"This da weh I find awkward, because it shouldn't have happened, not to him at least."
Jules Vasquez
"Him least of all. He was a church man."
Floyd Myles, Brother of Deceased
"That's right, that's right"
He worshipped around the corner at Trinity Methodist Church - but nothing could save the City's Saint of Sweetness from the most undeserving end which met him on Friday night. All we have now is the memory or that always ready and spontaneous laugh. The best we can say is that we made him known he was loved:
Posted: April 23rd 2012
Wayne Myles, Deceased
"One thing I wah seh to all the Belizean they, thanks for the concern, for the ones who called from all over, the whole wide world, you know. Appreciate it. I don't know how to tell you all thanks."
Reporter
"So like how many people have come up to you and ask you?"
Wayne Myles, Deceased
"Mein, I can't count. First time I get so much hug in my whole career. I don't know what to say about the Belizean people."
His brother says Pie Bwai had been selling pastries for 45 years.
So far, no one has been detained. Pie Bwai's family is flying in to arrange his funeral.
