| Original Gangster Junie Balls is Dead! |
| Tue, August 28, 2007 |
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He was once one of the most feared men on the streets of Belize City
and whether you call it notoriety or fame, George "Junie Balls"
McKenzie was regarded with the type of awe usually only reserved for political
leaders. But tonight, 33-year-old George "Junie Balls" McKenzie
- former leader of the Ghost Town Crips is dead. "Junie Balls"
was killed last night in an execution style murder near his home in pink's
alley. We'll have full coverage of the death of the modern urban legend
and we begin with last night's murder. Our 7NEWS team was on
the scene and Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This was the scene last night in front of the Chon Sing Restaurant on North
Front Street, next to Pink's Alley. The body on the ground is George "Junie
Balls" McKenzie he had been shot once to the head and killed on the spot.
It was an emotional scene and those emotions boiled over when the police began
to remove the body. McKenzie's friends - his soldiers - took
over and they lifted him. And as they were about to remove the body, there was
a crush of emotions. His niece Melanie wept over his body while his wife of
19 years Melissa Major, in tears, begged for one more opportunity to see her
husband. Pink's Alley residents swarmed the police mobile as it left with the
body - most wanted one last look at the man they call - the godfather.
After the body was removed, the scenes of crime team searched the area for any
expended shells - or any other evidence. And soon as they left - the thick
pool of blood in front of the Chon Sing Restaurant was washed away.
But this morning in Pink's Alley, the emotions and anger over his death
were still there.
Melissa Major, Common-law Wife
"I just want them to know that they took away a good man. They really
took a good man from this world. They took a good good man. Its hard, I don't
think I could ever get over it. It is hard. It is really hard."
Melissa Major says she was sleeping when she got the news that he was killed.
Melissa Major,
"I was sleeping and they came and told me they shot up Junior out
there. When I reached out there, he was on the ground laying down. You heard
different things. People are saying this and that but I don't really know."
Junie Balls' niece Melanie didn't see the shooting but she was
nearby and heard the shots. She spoke to us but didn't want to appear
on camera.
Melanie,
"I heard pow first and then after that I heard about four more after
that. Then afterwards I just saw men starting to run from by Chon Saan so I
ran to my house and thing. Then when I came home and I noticed one of my friends
wasn't with us, I ran back for her and then I heard it was my uncle that
got shot and thing. And when I got out there, I saw the man on the ground dead.
That is what I heard and saw."
Police say that Junie Balls McKenzie was killed by this man: 19 year old Edward
Lord.
Supt. Aaron Guzman, CIB Commander
"He was approached from behind, a lone gunman who got off a bicycle
and fired a shot, a single shot which caught him in the back of the head. We
are in possession of a warrant in the first instance of one Edward Lord of whom
I have a wanted poster for him. Once he's caught, he will be formally
arraigned and taken to Magistrate's Court."
Keith Swift,
So Mr. Lord has been identified as the shooter?
Supt. Aaron Guzman,
"Definitely. He has been identified positively. He is known to the
persons who identified him."
Police aren't saying why lord killed "Junie Balls" McKenzie
but his wife Melissa Major says her husband was a changed man.
Melissa Major,
"He changed totally, totally changed, for so many years now. People
used to, because only go by what they hear because so many things they say he
did and people haven't seen him do anything, people just say. He didn't
have problems with anyone. Everyone and him were okay. He was not only a father
to his two sons and my daughter, he was a father to everyone's children,
from the little ones loved him to the old ones. You could say he had children
older than him."
One of Junie Balls' closest friend in the area was Pulu. He along with
McKenzie coached this football team of young boys in the area. Pulu didn't
want to appear on camera.
Pulu, Friend of Deceased
"Last night they gunned down this man from back on. They chanced him
out of his life. Why did they wait until the man changed his life to decide
to take him out and from behind?"
And today as Pulu and the entire Pinks Alley mourned, this ode to Junie Balls
was already spray painted on the walls in the alley and Richie Spice's
'world is a cycle" was being blasted on these loud speakers. A not
so subtle warning of what's to come. It's an inevitable retaliation
which CIB Chief Aaron Guzman they're trying their best to suppress.
Supt. Aaron Guzman,
"We have made some adjustments and put some extra patrols in place
and we will definitely keep those extra patrols on until we deem it necessary
to scale down."
Of course the question tonight is if those adjustments will be enough to suppress
the emotions in Pink's Alley.
Tonight police have an all points bulletin out for 19-year-old Edward
Lord. Police say he is not affiliated with any known Gangs. Police believe he
is still in the city. Lord was charged with Darren Banks for the murder of Sherwin
Requena. The case never made it to trial. Anyone with information as to the
whereabouts of Edward Lord is asked to call 0-800-922 TIPS. Later on we'll
go behind the headlines and look at the life and the legend of "Junie
Balls" McKenzie.
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