29-year-old Caye Caulker resident Jovaun Moody has been formally arrested and charged with keeping a firearm without a gun license, keeping ammunition without a gun license, and possession of controlled drugs following a shooting on the island. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stacy Smith said the charges stem from an investigation into a shooting that occurred around 8:45PM on February 12, 2026, in the Bahia area of Caye Caulker. During the incident, 22-year-old Dominic Castillo was injured. He was initially treated at the Caye Caulker Health Center before being transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in Belize City for further medical care.
ASP Smith explained that responding officers were alerted after hearing gunshots in the area. Upon approaching the scene, police reportedly observed a golf cart with three male occupants speeding away. Officers pursued the golf cart, during which Moody was allegedly seen throwing a firearm.
Police later took Moody back to the location where the firearm was discarded. Upon inspection, the firearm was identified as a 9mm Taurus pistol containing a magazine with seven live rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Moody was additionally charged with possession of controlled drugs after officers searched him and reportedly found a ziplock bag containing suspected cocaine.
ASP Smith further stated that during the investigation, police also recovered a .38 revolver containing three live rounds of .38 caliber ammunition. At the same time, seven expended shells were retrieved from the scene.
“These firearms and ammunition, as well as the expended shells, have since been packaged and submitted to the National Forensic and Science Services Laboratory, where testing will be conducted to determine if they are related to the incident, and that will also inform what, if any, additional charges will be brought against Mr. Moody,” Smith said.
ASP Smith added that information gathered during the investigation suggests that both Moody and Castillo went to the Bahia area with “bad intentions.” “They were met with equal hostility,” Smith stated.
Castillo remains in Belize City, where he continues recovering at the KHMH.
