Crime & Violence
Jaylil Usher Pleads Guilty to Abetment in 2023 Murder of Kean Quiros
Twenty-six-year-old Jaylil Usher, who was previously charged in connection with the 2023 murder of San Pedro resident Kean Jamaal Quiros, entered into a plea agreement with the Crown on June 15th, pleading guilty to abetment to murder. Usher, a former resident of the San Mateo Subdivision, appeared before Justice Nigel Pilgrim in the High Court in Belize City, where he admitted to facilitating the murder of Quiros. Quiros, who was 19 years old at the time of his death, was fatally shot on August 11, 2023, after a gunman allegedly lured him to the front door of his home. The murder case remained under investigation for more than a year before Usher was formally charged on November 29, 2024.
Crime & Violence
Government officials support public Belize Sex Offenders Registry
Following the arrest and charging of a Cayo teacher for assault and rape of a student, the Office of the Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, headed by the wife of the Prime Minister, Her Excellency Rossana Briceno, is once again advocating for the establishment of a national Sex Offenders Registry. The move is being supported by the Ministry of Human Development, as well as current and former Ministers of Home Affairs responsible for the police department.
Crime & Violence
Bartender shot in San Pedro; one person detained
On Thursday, May 7th, 32-year-old bartender Winston Cayetano was shot in the shoulder following an argument with a man on the street. Cayetano was rushed to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, where he was treated and later released. Police have detained one person as they investigate this latest shooting incident on the island.
Crime & Violence
Family claims wrong suspect charged in San Pedro triple murder
The family of 22-year-old San Pedro fisherman Shelby Jonathan Hernandez, who has been charged in connection with a triple murder on the island, is disputing the allegations, claiming police have arrested the wrong person. Hernandez has been charged with the fatal shooting of Karim Nazim Espat, 28, Oscar Modesto Mas, 35, and Honduran national Yerlin Marisol Bueso Alvarez, 21. He has since been arraigned and remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court hearing, scheduled for May 27, 2026.
Crime & Violence
Police increase presence and operations in San Pedro following triple murder
Following a triple murder on Thursday, March 19th, one mile south of downtown San Pedro, police presence on the island has increased with reinforcements from the mainland. The victims, Karim Espat, 29, Oscar Modesto Mas, 35, and 21-year-old Honduran national Yerlin Marisol Bueso Alvarez, were gunned down just before 10PM inside a residence. Police said on Friday, March 20th, that a possible motive is an ongoing rivalry related to drugs.
Crime & Violence
Police detain suspects in San Pedro triple murder
Police have identified three suspects in connection with the triple murder that occurred on Thursday night, March 19th, south of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. Authorities responded to a shooting incident at a location known as Mosquito Coast, where they discovered the lifeless bodies of Karim Nazim Espat, 29, and Oscar Modesto Mas, 35, inside an elevated wooden house. A third victim, identified as Honduran national Yerlin Marisol Bueso Alvarez, was found injured. She was transported to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, but later succumbed to her injuries.
Crime & Violence
No arrests made yet following Armed Robbery at Liquor Store on Coconut Drive
San Pedro Police are investigating a broad daylight robbery at a liquor store located on Coconut Drive on March 5th. Two men wearing ski masks and hooded jackets reportedly held employees at gunpoint and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the cashier register and a safe. Before leaving the establishment, the suspects locked the staff inside an office. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Crime & Violence
Jorge Valladarez Arraigned for Sexual Assault; Released on Fine
Following an incident on February 8th involving a 24-year-old female receptionist outside a downtown hotel in San Pedro, 18-year-old Jorge Valladarez was detained on March 3rd and later charged with sexual assault. He was arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty to the offense.