A shocking fatal shooting in Belize City has left a local family grieving and law enforcement advancing with murder charges against a young local man. In a formal announcement released over the weekend, Belizean police confirmed they have charged 21-year-old Louis Maxwell Matthews, a welder and long-term resident of Belize City, with the murder of 17-year-old Kaylon Trevor David.
The tragedy unfolded on the evening of Thursday, October 8, 2026, when Kaylon was out walking along Iguana Street Extension. Police reports confirm that an unidentified gunman approached and opened fire on the teen, striking him multiple times. Emergency responders rushed the wounded teenager to the nearest local hospital, but medical providers were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival from his gunshot wounds.
In comments to reporters on Friday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, who leads the National Crimes Investigation Branch, outlined the progress of the investigation up to that point. By the time of Romero’s statement, investigators had already secured and were reviewing surveillance video footage from the area surrounding the shooting, and had taken one person of interest into custody. Investigators have noted that preliminary evidence points to the killing stemming from a long-running conflict between groups of young men in the neighborhood. Prior to the shooting, Romero confirmed, Kaylon and other individuals connected to the dispute had exchanged verbal threats, though law enforcement has not yet released any details about what triggered the initial disagreement. Importantly, police have confirmed that Kaylon had no prior criminal record.
For the David family, the violent loss of a young family member has left an unfillable void. In an emotional interview, Kensasha David, Kaylon’s older sister, remembered her brother as a warm, lively person who “was the life of the party” anywhere he went. She added that the family’s home would never feel the same, saying that the joy Kaylon brought to the space is gone forever.
As of the latest update, Matthews remains in police custody following his formal arrest and charge on Saturday, and investigators are continuing to piece together the full timeline of events leading up to the shooting to build their case.