Police in Hattieville are investigating a disturbing case of grave desecration following a discovery on Sunday. Officers were called to the local cemetery where a tomb had been tampered with and the body of a 63-year-old woman was removed from her final resting place. ACP Romero gave us the details.
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Upon their arrival they observed that a tomb had been broken, the front portion, and the body had been tampered with. A medical examiner came to the area and examined the body, thereafter the remains were put back in the tomb. We're currently carrying out an investigation into this report and we are seeking one suspect in regards to this incident."
Courtney Menzies:
"No idea why anybody would want to tamper with the tomb?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"We do not know at this time, we will await the forensic report."
Reporter:
"This person had died just recently I believe."
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Yes the person was buried on Saturday."
Courtney Menzies:
"Did the person die from natural causes or were they killed?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Natural causes."
Police continue to investigate.
Man Loses Control While Overtaking
And on Friday, a man was killed in a fatal traffic accident in Orange Walk. John Tesucum - who was northbound out of Orange Walk - reportedly lost control on the highway while overtaking. ACP Romero told us more.
ACP Hilberto Romero, HNCIB
"Upon their arrival they saw a Nissan Rogue overturned in a drain. Inside the vehicle was a male person, he was identified as John Tesucum. He was taken for medical treatment where he succumbed to his injuries. Information is that Tesucum was driving the vehicle on a curve when he attempted to overtake a vehicle, he lost control and he crashed into the drain. This matter is under investigation."
Just Brought Into The Country, Vehicle Burst Into Flames
A Ford Explorer burst into flames today on the early part of the Phillip Goldson Highway - fortunately no one was hurt. It happened near Leslie's Imports when the vehicle was heading into the city and had some mechanical problems. The owner reportedly just brought in the vehicle and it wasn't registered or insured. He was reportedly selling it "as is" because it had a slight missing in the engine. But, before he could, it burst into flames.
Ruta Maya Will Finish At Haulover, But In Protest Paddlers Will Control To Belcan
La Ruta Maya is just 4 days away and big decisions are afoot. The initial controversy arose from the debate on where the race will finish. It was scheduled to change route and finish at the Haulover Bridge. The Belize Canoe Association has been lobbying hard against that for safety reasons. Nonetheless the organizers went ahead with their plan.
So on Saturday the Association had a meeting where two things were decided. First, even though the race will officially end at Haulover, the paddlers will go on to Belcan for their own finish. And, second, that next year the race will be taken away from Love FM and its organizers and go back to the family of the founder Orlando Harrison:
The race is scheduled to begin on Friday morning at 7am.
FCD Takes Las Cuevas Into The Future
As we told you on Friday, the Forestry Department has signed another 10 year MOU with the Friends for Conservation and Development to continue the work in the Chiquibul.
On Friday, the official signing ceremony was held deep in the Chiquibul. Jaleeza Roberts was there and filed this report:
The MOU will end in 2036.
13 Year Old Missing, Mom Searches For Answers
A first form student of St Mathew's village has been missing since Friday February 27th. 13 year old Ana Ramos never got home from school on that day. We spoke to her mother today via phone and she gave us more details on her daughter's last known whereabouts.
Voice of: Ingrid Avila, Mother of Missing teen
"By Friday, Friday morning I went with her to school and I left her at 8:30 at Baptist from school and she was supposed to come home at 4:00 at least in the evening but she never did reach."
"And when we investigated at the school we talked to the principal and the principal checked the cameras and the cameras showed that she caught the school bus but the one to go to Belmopan."
Jo-
"So she did not catch the bus to go back to St Mathews?"
Ingrid Avila, Mother of Missing teen
"No she caught the one to go to Belmopan because they have school buses that go to different areas so she caught the one to go to Belmopan but the principal says she has a rule that the ones from the village have to catch the one for the village so she does not know how she went in the one to go to Belmopan."
"And she stayed right in front of the terminal. That was the last scene they saw her because 3 teachers were in the same bus and they saw when she came off right there by the terminal."
Jo-
"And did they see if anyone was there to meet her at the terminal?"
Ingrid Avila, Mother of Missing teen
"No ma'am."
Avila says that her daughter does own a cellphone but when they tried to call it, the call did not go through and it appears that the phone has been turned off. Avila says that her family continues to search for Anna but up to now has not received any new information.
Ingrid Avila, Mother of Missing teen
"Well from the day she went missing we started to look for her from the evening, we looked from Friday evening, we got up Saturday morning we looked all about we can't find her. Even on Sunday we looked. And we can't find her. And right now the police told me to wait for their investigation so we are waiting on their call to see what they can tell us more or less what is happening because. They have to go to the terminal and check the cameras or somewhere somebody had to see her."
Jo-
"You don't think someone took your daughter?"
Ingrid Avila, Mother of Missing teen
"No ma'am because if anything she would tell me she has this problem or something or she would let me know."
Jo-
"And this is the first time she has done something like this?"
Ingrid Avila, Mother of Missing teen
"Yes ma'am first time."
Those who have any knowledge on 13 year old Ana Ramos can contact crime stoppers at 922.
Female Shopkeeper Threatened And Tied Up By Robbers
A 25-year-old businesswoman was the victim of an aggravated burglary on Sunday night, March 1, 2026, at her shop located on Mahogany Street Extension in Belize City. According to reports, the shopkeeper had just closed Qin Shop, around 9:00 p.m. when she was attacked by four men. One of them placed her in a chokehold and forced her back inside the shop. The group was armed, with one carrying a firearm while two others were armed with knives. Once inside, they tied her hands with tape and rummaged through the store for valuables and cash. They only found $400 Belize dollars and three cell phones. One of the robbers held a firearm to the victim's neck and demanded more money. She told them there was additional cash upstairs in her residence.
They then took her upstairs, where the men eventually located and stole an additional $600 US dollars. Before leaving, the assailants tied the victim's feet, leaving her restrained. She later managed to free herself and sought help at the nearby Lake Independence Public Library, where she contacted police. Police processed the scene and recovered several items, including a bag containing a stolen Alcatel phone, as well as a pair of gloves, a knife, and a machete found behind the building. Investigators also noted that security cameras were present but not operational at the time of the incident.
