A 43-year-old Honduran jewellery trader has been killed in a targeted shooting in Belize City’s Fabers Road neighborhood Wednesday evening, while he was arranging a purchase of scrap gold. Local residents confirmed that Dennis Gurvara, the victim, was not a resident of the area, and had spent the day going door-to-door to canvass local residents selling unwanted scrap gold and pre-owned pieces of jewellery.
According to official statements from Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, the fatal encounter was pre-arranged: an unknown individual contacted Gurvara to sell their gold, and invited him to meet at the Fabers Road location. After the two parties met, the unidentified suspect first demanded money from Gurvara before opening fire. Romero told reporters that a single male suspect approached the trader and fired multiple rounds directly at him, inflicting life-threatening wounds.
Emergency responders rushed the wounded Gurvara to Belize’s main public medical facility, Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where doctors were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Local law enforcement has now launched a full investigation into the murder. Investigators are currently canvassing the Fabers Road area to collect available surveillance camera footage, interview witnesses and gather other physical evidence that can help identify and track down the shooter, who remains at large as of Thursday. No details about potential motives beyond the apparent robbery have been released at this time.