On Thursday, April 16, at about 5:30 p.m., three young men all riding on separate bicycles rode up in front of #63 Far West Street, parked their bicycles in the yard then held brothers Derrick Mahler and Shawn “Gary” Thompson at gun point allegedly with what appeared to be a .38 pistol.
According to police, when they visited Far West Street at about 6:00 p.m., that day, they spoke with Derrick Mahler, who was seen bleeding from the left side of the face and right hand. He reported to them that at about 5:00 p.m., that day, he was sitting on the steps of his sister’s home along with his brother when they were approached by two male persons one of whom pulled out a handgun and pointed it at them and demanded he hand over his gold rings.
According to Mahler, he complied with his attackers and one of the men searched his pockets and also took his cellular phone. The gun man then demanded that both brothers go into the house. While inside the house Mahler grabbed the gun and a struggle ensued between himself and the gunman. Thompson held the other male person and the gun man then managed to take away the gun and then ran out of the house, as Mahler set chase behind him in the direction of King Street.
Mahler told police that on his return, he saw his brother lying on the street bleeding with a large stab wound to the left side of the neck. He was rushed to the KHMH where at 6:53 p.m. he succumbed to his injuries. Police say Thompson was stabbed once to the left side of the neck and that he died as a result. The alleged murder weapon believed to be a knife from the Mahler’s home, a 14-inch stainless steel knife with black handle, was found at the corner of King and Far West Streets, said police.
When we visited the murder scene, eyewitnesses who were afraid and fear for their lives told us that they saw the young men acting really suspicious riding back and forth in the area for more than 25 minutes. One female said she saw the young men ride their bicycles all the way into Mahler’s yard. At first she thought nothing of it, as she felt they were visiting the residence of the upper flat of the home.
Minutes later, she saw Mahler running behind a man and heading up Far West Street and into King Street. Mahler had a piece of 2×4 stick in his hand which she saw him swinging at the man as he was chased him. The neighbour then says she saw him collapse to the ground.
According to the female eyewitness, that’s when she saw Gary run out of his house and he walked over to the other side of the street and then collapse. Minutes prior to Gary exiting the house, the neighbour said she saw a man struggling with a bicycle that he then threw across the fence for the two of the attackers; he then ran off up Far West Street and into King Street.
Brother to both men, well-known Sports Activist, Keith Mahler told the newspaper that according to what his brother Derrick told them, the men forced them inside the house at gun point and after removing his wedding ring by force, searched his pocket and stole his cell phone and a bunch of house keys. The gunman then tried to take the brothers into a further room of the concrete home, but it was at that point that Mahler, the elder brother fought back with the gunman.
It is believed that during the struggle with the gunman, he was hit in the face and then the gunman got back possession of the gun. He then ran outside and that’s when Mahler set chase behind him.
Thompson, the younger brother, was left behind inside the house with one of their two attackers and that’s when it’s believe he was stabbed in the neck allegedly with one of their own house knives.
The senseless murder of Thompson and the home invasion in the area has left neighbours shaken and afraid to even talk to the newspaper. They did share with us their sentiments on the vicious attack on the brothers and how senseless his death came in the comfort of his own home. Many neighbours in Far West Street spoke of the shocking toll the attack took on their neighbour and how helpful Thompson was in the neighbourhood.
Relatives describe the young brother to be a very quiet and liked individual who neighbours trusted and could depend on to do errands and favours. Shawn Gary Thompson, who had no children or a girlfriend, is survived by three brothers and five sisters. He is predeceased by his mother Vilma Mahler and brother, Steve “Monster” Thompson. Derrick Mahler, a Belizean/American cyclist recently arrived home to participate in the annual cross country cyclist classic which took place on Saturday, April 11, 2009. This is the second murder for the family who had already lost a brother during a robbery incident. In June 2004, Steve “Monster” Thompson was killed execution style while inside his home. Police at the time believe he was first robbed then killed inside his Belama home.
On Tuesday April 21, 16-year-old Andrew Talbert who recently walked from the attempted murder of 17-year-old Adolph Gomez was arraigned in the Belize Family Court in front of Magistrate Albertha Perez. The minor was slapped with three charges, including the murder of 34-year-old Shawn Gary Thompson.
Talbert was additionally charged with one count of aggravated burglary and one count of robbery for allegedly entering the home of Derrick Mahler and stealing a white wedding diamond gold ring valued at $800, a gold ring value at $300 and a sprint brand camera phone valued at $900 along with a digicell phone. The charges were read in the presence of his mother but no plea was taken as the matters are being dealt with as indictable offenses. Talbert was remanded to the Hattieville Booth Camp until May 20, the date set for his next court appearance at the Belize Family Court.
Talbert is no stranger to police as on August 18, 2008, he was charged with the attempted murder of Adolphus Gomez, 17, who was shot once in the head on August 12, 2008, while walking in the company of a female on Fairweather Street. Talbert and Jason Dishon Gillett 20, of #72 Plues Street were charged with that attempted murder, but on April 3 of this year, both men were freed from the charge after a directive from the DPP office instructed the Belize Family Court and the Belize City Magistrate Court to withdraw the charges from against both accused.
According to the DPP office, Gomez had given police a statement in which he requested no further court action against the two accused as he had been compensated since being shot.
