Belize: Man charged in San Pedro triple murder case

Belize: A man has been arrested by the police in connection to a deadly shooting that resulted in deaths of three individuals in the San Pedro triple murder case last Thursday, March 19, 2026. The suspect has been identified as Shelby Hernandez, who has been sent to the Belize Central Prison until his next appearance in the court.

The shooting took place at an elevated wooden home, which was a mile to the south of the town. Three people lost their lives in the attack. They were 28-year old Karim Nazim Espat, 35-year old Oscar Modesto Mas, and 21-year old Yerlin Marisol Bueso Alvarez.

According to the latest investigations, police said that three armed men in hooded jackets arrived at the scene. One of them went inside the house and started firing. Espat and Mas died immediately, while Alvarez was taken to the San Pedro Polyclinic for immediate treatment but died shortly after midnight.

The police arrived at the scene and launched an in-depth investigation into the shooting. They gathered 9mm shell casings and 12 gauge cartridges as evidence. Authorities also questioned and recorded witness statements in the area. They later detained a suspect, 22-year old Shelby Jonathan Hernandez, a fisherman from the San Pedrito area.

He was arrested soon after the shooting and was formally charged on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Hernandez appeared before the court on Monday, March 23, where he was charged with three counts of murder. He was not represented by any lawyer and no plea was entered due to the serious charges and his bail was also denied.

He was sent back to jail until May 27, 2026. Hernandez was brought from San Pedro to Belize City on Tuesday, March 24. He was taken by boat and then escorted through the Belize City Magistrate’s Court before being taken to the Belize Central Prison in Hattieville.

Hernandez is the only suspect arrested and charged so far. The case is still under investigation as the police are verifying the circumstances to determine the motive behind the shooting. Lookout for the other two suspects is still active.