On November 6, 2026, a 12-person jury delivered a landmark guilty verdict on two active police officers, Salomen Cowo and Esmin Flores, for the 2023 murder of 19-year-old Dyandre Chee, a ruling that closes a three-year emotionally charged legal chapter that roiled the Orange Walk community and drew national public scrutiny of local law enforcement practices.
The fatal incident unfolded in March 2023, when Chee was killed during an on-foot police pursuit that immediately sparked conflicting, competing narratives of the events leading up to his death. Official police statements at the time claimed the two responding officers acted in self-defense, asserting they had come under direct gunfire from the vehicle Chee and his companions were traveling in, justifying the use of lethal force. But eyewitness testimony and statements from the young men who were with Chee the night of the shooting directly contradicted the official law enforcement account, confirming none of the group were armed, and that officers opened fire without any prior warning or de-escalation attempt.
Cowo and Flores were formally arrested and charged with murder less than a week after Chee’s death, but the subsequent legal process stretched on for more than three years, marked by repeated court delays, community advocacy marches, and widespread public outcry over longstanding complaints of excessive use of force by local police units. The high-profile case became a rallying point for local justice reform activists, who argued that the verdict represented a rare moment of accountability for law enforcement personnel who had previously operated with near-impunity for use of lethal force against unarmed civilians. For Chee’s immediate family and the broader Orange Walk community, the jury’s decision comes after years of persistent grief, repeated court appearances, and grassroots organizing demanding transparency for the teen’s preventable killing. This news report is a direct, verbatim transcription of the outlet’s evening television newscast, with all segments featuring Kriol speakers transcribed using a standardized, community-recognized spelling system for accuracy. The full uncut broadcast of the newscast is available to stream via the news outlet’s official digital platform for viewers seeking additional footage and extended interviews with involved parties.
Jury Finds Two Police Officers Guilty of Murdering Dyandre Chee
