Residents of Belize’s Orange Walk District are reeling from two back-to-back violent murders that have left communities on edge and law enforcement with little progress to report more than a week after the deaths. As of May 4, 2026, investigators have not secured solid charges in either case, leaving family members of the victims waiting for answers and justice.
The first victim identified by authorities is 48-year-old Francisco Garcia, a small-scale farmer from the Santa Martha settlement. Garcia had left his home early one morning earlier this week to tend to his crop plots, and when he failed to return by sunset as expected, a worried relative organized a search party. Searchers found Garcia’s body on his own land, with multiple severe chop wounds across his torso and limbs. Law enforcement officials confirmed that personal belongings and farming equipment were missing from the scene, pointing to a possible robbery-homicide motive. Investigators currently have two persons of interest in custody for questioning, both of whom operate adjacent farm plots in the same area, but no formal arrests have been announced.
The second killing took place along Chan Pine Ridge Road, targeting 32-year-old Roberto Villafranco, a delivery driver for local beverage distribution company Zeta. Initial reports after the shooting led police to suspect a botched robbery, but investigators have now ruled out that motive, confirming the shooting was a deliberate targeted attack. On the day of his death, Villafranco and a work colleague had responded to a customer call for a bulk water delivery, and he was hit by gunfire just seconds after stepping out of his delivery truck to unload the order. One person was taken into custody shortly after the incident for questioning, but authorities were forced to release the suspect days later due to a lack of admissible evidence to support charges.
Orange Walk Police’s Head of Criminal Investigations told reporters in a press briefing Thursday that both cases remain open and active, but declined to share further details on ongoing investigative work to avoid compromising operations. Community leaders in the district have called for increased police patrols in rural and semi-rural areas, noting that violent crime has risen slightly in the region over the past two years, leaving many residents feeling unsafe in their own neighborhoods. This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television news broadcast originally published online.