A murder last night in Belize City has left the family of 24 year old Luis Marin in shock, especially since Marin lives in Cotton Tree. His murder comes on the heels of the broad daylight shooting in Belmopan on Saturday morning, when a gunman leaned out of the window of a white Suburban and fired 13 shots at a black Mazda, injuring one of the passengers. Early investigations into this murder suggest that Marin may have been involved in that. However, the family he grew up with is denying those allegations. Courtney Menzies went west to speak with them and has this story.
24 year old Luis Marin has lived in Cotton Tree for years, but yesterday he took a trip to the city, only to never return home. Marin was gunned down while visiting someone at this home in Majestic Alley.
But about an hour before his death, a close family friend - with whom he lived in Cotton Tree - sent him one last text asking him to be safe. She chose to remain anonymous.
Voice of: Family Friend
"The last message, I told him just please be okay and be good and he said he's good and I don't even know the time I got the news but from then I can't stop crying."
"Luis is someone that was loving, always happy, always laughing, always taking serious things and making them jokes. Never taking anything serious. To other people, he may be bad but to us, he was loving."
Courtney Menzies:
"Did he tell you why he was traveling to the city?"
Voice of: Family Friend
"No."
Courtney Menzies:
"Does he go often?"
Voice of: Family Friend
"Yes."
And she says they're not sure why he was targeted, but they've been trying to keep in contact with his mother, who lives in the city.
Voice of: Family Friend
"I spoke to his mom last night, I haven't called her for this morning because I just can't bring myself to call her right now."
Courtney Menzies:
"Have police told you guys anything?"
Voice of: Family Friend
"No. Maybe they reached out to his mom and told his mom but we don't know anything. We're just taking it one step at a time because it affects the whole family because he was close to all of us."
However, she believes that Marin is being framed for a crime he didn't commit. While reports say he was killed out of retaliation for the recent Belmopan shooting, she insisted that narrative is false.
Voice of: Family Friend
"People on social media are bashing like they know things, they don't know anything about him. They're bashing saying that it's retaliation and this and that but no, they don't know anything about him. And they shouldn't talk what they don't know."
No one has been arrested for this murder.
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