2 days ago
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Police say the murder of 19-year-old Dodrick Madrill on Freedom Street, Belize City, was not a random act, but appears to be connected to a dispute within a gang. Madrill was shot and killed on Thursday, October 29, while walking along Freedom Street. According to police, a major breakthrough in the investigation came through footage captured by the Crime Fusion and Operations Centre, which recorded the shooting and movements before and after the incident.
Stacy Smith, ASP, Belize Police Department: “As it relates to the murder of Dodrick Madrill as a consequence of that investigation which is still ongoing. Police have formally arrested and charged a 16-year-old male minor as well as 31-year-old Emerson West for the crime of murder. They were jointly charged for the crime of murder. This investigation was greatly advanced through the use of technology located the Crime Fusion and Operations Center, which captured the incident as well as the aftermath. The motive as it relates to this incident has so far been established or suggested to be inter-gang rivalry.”
Police have since jointly charged 31-year-old Emerson West and a 16-year-old boy with murder. ASP Smith explained that although investigators believe only one person fired the shots, both accused persons were charged based on the evidence gathered during the investigation. She declined to provide further details about the alleged roles of the accused, stating that those matters will be addressed in court. Madrill’s murder happened just one day before the deadly shooting on the Coastal Plain Highway, where four men were killed. Police have also described that incident as a possible internal gang conflict. Two of those victims, Robert Gladden and Dayton Palacio, had previously faced firearm charges alongside Madrill in February 2025. However, police have not confirmed whether the two cases are directly connected. West and the 16-year-old accused remain before the courts and are presumed innocent until proven guilty./
English (US) ·