On August 14, 2026, law enforcement officials formally filed murder charges against a 33-year-old fisherman in connection with the fatal stabbing of Jose Luis Arteaga, an incident that has sparked competing narratives about the events that unfolded aboard a fishing vessel off the coast of Ranguana Caye. The charges came one day after local outlet News Five first reported the conflicting accounts of the violent confrontation.
According to official police statements, Mauri Julian Gomez stabbed Arteaga to death on August 12 during an altercation between the fishermen on board the vessel. Gomez additionally faces a second charge of wounding Marvin Arteaga, Jose Luis Arteaga’s relative, who survived the attack and remains hospitalized in stable condition as of the latest update.
However, the victim’s family has forcefully disputed the official version of events, dismissing claims that the violence followed a pre-existing argument. In an exclusive interview with News Five, Arteaga’s niece gave a sharply different account of the fatal incident. She emphasized that multiple other crew members confirmed there had been no tension or dispute of any kind in the minutes leading up to the attack, noting that all members of the crew had been in good spirits before the violence broke out.
In her recounting, Gomez was intoxicated at the time of the attack. She explained that after Arteaga finished washing his diving gear, Gomez grabbed the clothing and threw it. When Arteaga turned to retrieve his belongings, Gomez attacked him from behind, stabbing him fatally. Marvin Arteaga, who was asleep at the time of the first attack, was also stabbed in the chest by Gomez, she added.
Following the unprovoked attack, the niece confirmed that other crew members on the fishing vessel acted quickly to subdue Gomez, restraining him before authorities could take him into custody.
Arteaga’s niece also paid tribute to her uncle, describing him as a deeply devoted father of five children who maintained positive relationships with all members of the crew and had no history of conflict with Gomez. “He was a loving father, very responsible, and loved by so many people,” she said. “He did everything he could for his five children, he worked tirelessly to provide for them. There was no argument, no fight. He was just minding his own business when this man came up from behind and stabbed him.”