The Honourable Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and in charge of the Belize Police Department, met with the family of the murder victims, Delmar Rodriguez, his baby daughter Amarie, and Carlos Chi. Musa said that although he cannot reveal what they discussed, his ministry provides all the support they can to affected families.
Musa did not respond to the allegations of rogue police officers accused of knowing about the premeditated triple murder. “That is confidential information that we are dealing with. Whatever issues that they raised, we are dealing with it,” Musa said briefly on Wednesday, November 22nd, during an event in Belize City. He declined to speak further on the topic as requested by the bereaved families.
The shocking incident happened around midnight on October 23 in the San Pedrito area. Rodriguez was heading back home with his family and friends when two gunmen ambushed them. In the attack, Rodriguez was shot dead on the spot and fatally injured his 3-year-old daughter along with Chi. Four other persons standing near the shooting (Jose Hernandez, Leonel Cornejo, Ivan Guerra, and Randy Guerra) were also shot but survived their injuries. They were treated at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II and later transported to Belize City.
Following the fatal shooting, police identified two suspects, Christian Espat and Michael Brown. The duo claimed innocence and turned themselves over to the San Pedro Police Formation days after the violent incident. Espat’s legal defense presented evidence showing that his client was out of the country at the time of the crime. Despite this alibi given to the prosecutors, Espat, along with Brown, was charged with Murder, Attempt Murder, and Use of Deadly Means of Harm. They were arraigned at the Belize City Magistrate Court and remanded to the Kolbe-Foundation Belize Central Prison. They are due back in court on December 28, 2023.
