A family in the Jane Usher Boulevard community woke up to every parent’s worst nightmare today. An early-morning search for a missing teenager ended in heartbreak when the body of an eighteen-year-old, known to his loved ones as an animal lover and outdoorsman, was discovered deep behind the Port of Belize area. Tonight, that family is grieving and demanding answers. News Five’s Shane Williams was on the scene and brings us their call for justice.
Shane Williams, Reporting
Police say their investigation began just before eight this morning, after reports of a body found in a secluded area behind Dykes in the Port of Belize area. When officers arrived, they discovered the motionless body of eighteen-year-old Jaheil Westby, bearing multiple gunshot wounds. Westby, a young fisherman, had been reported missing just hours earlier. According to police, his mother visited the station this morning around seven after he failed to return home last night.
Theresa Elijio
Theresa Elijio, Aunt of Deceased
“My sister called me like last night and then she said that how she suspish that my nephew never reach home. Then my younger sister called me this morning and then they said that how they discovered his body behind Dyke where he went to fishing yesterday.”
Jaheil was last seen Thursday afternoon, heading out to fish with a sixteen-year-old friend in an area he knew well. That familiarity is what makes his death even more difficult for family members to understand.
Shane Williams
“The area where he was found is that somewhere where he would normally be?”
Theresa Elijio
“To be honest, Jaheil the goh to that area to fishing because he love fishing. Like weh I mention, anything when it got to do with animals he love. He used to go back there from he like seven. Now he’s 19. He’s known to that area so it really comes shock to us why they will do something like that to our nephew.”
Described as hardworking and full of ambition, Westby’s family says he had dreams of one day owning a farm, driven by his love for animals and nature.
Theresa Elijio
“He’s a loving person, hardworking, he love animal. He love fishing. He love to catch crocodiles. He always said that he want own a farm ’cause that is what he love. Every day he’d go fishing, and then he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Tonight, investigators are working to determine what led to the fatal shooting and who is responsible. But for this grieving family, the focus is now on justice.
Theresa Elijio
“We’re hoping for justice because we need justice for our nephew ’cause he never deserved that ever, ever. No one deserved that. But also my nephew he doesn’t deserve that.”
Police say the investigation remains ongoing and while the family are still searching for answers, they believe it may have been retaliation for a feud over horses. Jaheil’s horse Crema was recently stolen, and he went to recover his beloved pet. While police have not confirmed that angle, they expect to find out more information from his sixteen-year-old friend who he left to fish with behind the Dykes. Shane Williams for News Five.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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