By Belize Live News Staff: Authorities have confirmed that the killing of Cotton Tree resident Luis Marin last week in Majestic Alley was not random but rather a targeted act of retaliation. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero told reporters on Monday that 19-year-old Scorian Stuart and 23-year-old Michael Gillett were arrested and charged jointly with murder over the weekend.
The victim, Luis Marin, was reportedly visiting Belize City when he was shot and killed in a broad daylight attack that raised immediate suspicions of gang retaliation. Those close to Marin initially denied any connection between his murder and a recent shooting in Belmopan that left one person injured. However, police say their investigation reveals a clearer motive.
“We have received information that this was indeed in retaliation,” ACP Romero said. While he would not confirm if Stuart and Gillett were the same individuals inside the vehicle during the Belmopan attack, Romero said there was interaction between them and those affected by the previous shooting, which prompted the deadly reprisal.
Authorities say Marin may have been under suspicion, but no conclusive evidence has been confirmed to link him directly to the earlier violence. Investigators continue to pursue leads in both cases.
