By Belize Live News Staff: Reports are emerging that Joseph “Ryan” Budna was allegedly kidnapped in Orange Walk Town sometime last night.
According to sources, Budna had just finished a live broadcast and was standing near the Orange Walk Police Station when he was reportedly taken. Witnesses claim several individuals attempted to assist him but were unsuccessful. Strangely, his vehicle, phone, and other electronic devices were left at the scene and are now in police custody.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged kidnapping are unclear, but Budna has long been a controversial public figure. In Guatemala, he was convicted in 2012–2013 for kidnapping and extortion and later sentenced to 30 years in another case. He escaped custody in 2019 and reappeared in Belize, where he has since been linked to multiple high-profile incidents, including an abetment to murder charge in 2024 and a 2023 case in which a 16-year-old was killed at his home.
Police have not issued an official statement on the case but are said to be investigating.
