Police are seeking a Guatemalan fugitive named Jose Gilberto Duarte who kidnapped a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl and held her captive for more than a hundred days.
On Wednesday morning a joint operation in Independence Southern Formation rescued the girl near San Roman village. The lead unit was Belize's elite special forces unit, known as The Belize Special Assignment Group (B-SAG).
Police told us more today:
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"On Tuesday, 21st April at approximately 3:45am, a joint Belize police department and Belize special assignment group BSAG successfully executed operation safe return at a farm located behind San Roman village in the Stann Creek District."
"The rescue of a kidnapped Guatemalan female minor being 14 years of age. This female minor was reported missing in Peten, Guatemala in January of 2026. The operation was launched after intelligence was received as to the location of the minor and given the terrain involved a decision was made to include the Belize special assignment group. The team of officers visited the location however the suspect who is now being sought namely Jose Gilberto Duarte was able to flee however we were able to rescue the female. As a part of the investigation we have also communicated with the Guatemalan counterparts and we have also involved the human services department in relation to victim care and repatriation."
Reporter
"We have reports that they escaped leaving the unlicensed firearm behind and ammunition, can you confirm that?"
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"Yes."
Reporter
"Would you be able to tell us the quantity?"
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"I believe it's a shot gun and a number of ammunition consistent with that shotgun."
Reporter
"So can we assume that if she was not rescued she would have potentially been killed?"
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"I do not know, I know she was in custody or captive of that person for over 106 days, so I don't know if that would have been the intention. We are very grateful that the officer received that information and that intelligence was passed on and the commissioner sanctioned the operation and we are grateful that it resulted in her recovery. She's in relatively well physical condition, however we did note some lacerations to her body."
Reporter
"Could this be a part of a larger criminal operation that is currently going on in this region?"
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
"We are in the process of conducting that investigation and we will be able to give a more formal answer at the end of it."
The child was handed over to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit. Her abductor escaped leaving an unlicensed firearm and several pieces of ammunition behind. Police also found Belizean documents in his room, including a social security card and a voter's ID, which raises questions about how the Guatemalan obtained those IDs.
