The tranquil facade of Belize’s capital city has been shattered by a surge of violent crime, culminating in a devastating double homicide that has left the community reeling. On the evening of February 13th, the eve of Valentine’s Day, twenty-one-year-old Zamar Alvarez and his twenty-year-old cousin Calvert Webster were fatally shot while walking along a residential sidewalk in Belmopan.
This tragedy represents the violent apex of a mounting crime wave that has residents on high alert. The city had already been grappling with the brazen daylight murder of a delivery driver just one month prior, compounded by recent armed robberies targeting delivery personnel. The shooting has transformed existing anxiety into profound community grief.
Alina Alvarez, mother of Zamar, arrived at the crime scene in a state of utter devastation after receiving notification from a relative within the police department. Clutching her son’s photograph, she delivered an emotional plea for truth and justice, vehemently denying allegations of her son’s involvement in criminal activities. “I miss my child. You guys took away my everything, my joy, my hope, my peace,” she expressed through tears.
In the sanctuary of her son’s bedroom, where his clothing remained meticulously arranged, Alvarez remembered Zamar as an aspiring musician whose lyrics reflected street life realities without glorifying violence. She recounted his recent pilgrimage to Esquipulas, Guatemala, where he acquired a cross for their Catholic household, symbolizing his hopeful outlook.
Official commentary from Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs, suggests the killings represent spillover violence from conflicts in La Democracia and Belize City. Minister Mira indicated that suspects may have sought refuge in Belmopan, while acknowledging investigative challenges due to familial non-cooperation and social media speculation.
Despite these challenges, Alvarez maintains active communication with investigators, expressing confidence in the judicial process while leaning on her faith for solace. As police continue their search for motives and perpetrators, two families confront an unimaginable void, and a community wrestles with the erosion of its perceived safety.