7 News Belize

Angry Girlfriend Burns Man Out Of Home
posted (January 31, 2011)
A man considered one of Belize's most dangerous fugitives was killed this weekend in Arenal Village - he was shot in the neck. Our team is just back from the west with the full story and we'll have it for you shortly…..but we begin our news tonight with the story of a man who had his house burned down - allegedly by his angry girlfriend.

It happened last night at 8:20 on Vernon Street. Dishawn Rowland told us that it started with a fight, which he chose to walk away from, and by the time he walked back, his house, with all his belongings inside was on fire.

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"My girlfriend came and she starts to curse me out, so I push her a little bit and just walk inside the house. She came and pick up some pint bottles, so I just held her from picking up the pint bottles after that she followed me inside the bathroom when I went to bathe. So I went outside the house for a walk to avoid arguments and talking. Then some people came and told me that my house is on fire. She tells my friends to tell me that she is burning down my house."

Emerson Gill, Friend
"Actually I was down Partridge and Vernon streets when a vehicle passed by and somebody shouted something. I would want to say what they shouted but I don't know who shouted it, but to the effect that a house is burning down. I turned and looked and I see the fire and begin to proceed this way and somebody reiterated that it is Shawn's house. So I shout for him."

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"I came here and find nothing; I can't even come in my house."

Andrea Polanco
"So everything burn up?"

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"Everything. Only one suit of clothes I have. Like what I said I went so to avoid knocking her, so I went and when I came back this is what I see, the whole house gone. Nothing was saved."

Andrea Polanco
"What started the fire?"

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"I don't know. I had a weed whacker machine and gas in a red bottle. I don't know if that was what she used to light the dirty clothes in the backroom because it looks like the backroom was burnt more than the other areas. The fire basically started from the back. She borrowed a match saying that she will warm something to eat."

Voice of Relative
"Well yes she came to borrow a lighter from me. Actually I told her that I didn't have any lighter, and then she asks to borrow a match because she wanted to make something to eat. So I lend her the match and so I was standing on my verandah waiting for her to bring back the matches. At that time her mother vehicle came blowing the horn. I stay here waiting for my matches then she slammed the door and held her head straight up and walked away and by the time she reached the gate I hear 'boom' in the house and when I look I see smoke coming out the house."

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"I call the fire station and they came to put out the fire."

Andrea Polanco
"By that time everything was done?"

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"Everything's gone. I couldn't even go inside for anything because of the fire."

"Clothes and everything, bed, mattress, everything is burn up."

Andrea Polanco
"So, roughly how much would you say all of the things that got damaged and destroyed cost?"

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"I just made a rough estimate this morning and got like $17,000.00."

Emerson Gill, Friend
"Deshon works for us, he is a hard working young man and if anybody can give him the material to replace his house, we are going to help him build a house back within the next week. He gets the material - the carpenter will come and help him build a house."

Deshon Rowland, Owner
"I have to move on from here because she hurt me, this is all I got."

Police say that the girlfriend is wanted for questioning.

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