Matthew Jonathan Moses, a 46-year-old resident of the island, was shot and killed in northern Ambergris Caye on November 8th. According to the police, they received reports about the incident, which is believed to have resulted from a disagreement between Moses and a property caretaker. It was alleged that Moses was acting aggressively toward the caretaker when he was shot. The police detained the property caretaker, who holds a licensed firearm, but he was later released. Authorities await instructions from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before levying charges.
A police report indicates that Moses had recently returned from the mainland after visiting family. Moses reportedly had been having misunderstandings with the caretaker and the property owner, an American national who fled the country, located 8.5 miles north of the Secret Beach area. The report noted that Moses had been threatening to kill the caretaker and his family. This led to a confrontation that resulted in the shooting.
When police were alerted about the incident, they found Moses’ motionless body lying face down on the ground in a pool of blood. His body showed apparent gunshot wounds, and it was in an initial state of decomposition. The caretaker was present at the scene and detained for investigation.
This is not the first time Moses has been involved in violent altercations. In April 2021, Moses was shot and stabbed at Rocky Point in northern Ambergris Caye. According to reports from that incident, he was in a hammock when someone started shooting at him. Moses was hit and fell out of the hammock, and a second person proceeded to stab him. Afterward, the two people left, and he escaped from the area wounded. He was reportedly shot five times, once through the chest. No reports were shared about whether anyone was arrested and charged for this incident.
While the police await a response from the DPP’s office, they also remain on high alert for any possible retaliation following this latest shooting incident on the island.
