Caretaker Fatally Shoots Intruder in La Isla Bonita Home Invasion

Police on La Isla Bonita are investigating the fatal shooting of a man caught entering a house last night. According to police, around 9:45, caretaker, 27-year-old Alexi Chavarria was asleep inside a home in the Secret Beach area when he was awakened by noises coming from outside. Chavarria, whose family was also inside, then got out of bed and walked into the kitchen where he found 46-year-old Steven Francis Arceo attempting to enter the home. Chavarria says half of Arceo’s body was already half way through the kitchen window when he pulled his license firearm. According to Chavarria he ordered Arceo to stop but he didn’t which was when he fired his gun several times, fatally hitting Arceo. Police believe that Arceo was in the process of burglarizing the home, but his family disputes the claim. Susanna Eiley, the victim’s cousin, spoke to Love News about the ordeal and says she believe Arceo was intoxicated and searching for shelter. 

Susanna Eiley, Sister of Deceased: “What I have understood is that from what we heard and from what people called us is that he was trying to run away from the rain because as far as I’m concerned Steven is no thief. He has been in Secret Beach from the day Secret Beach was opened. He fought with everybody for a small spot where he sells his coconuts, he goes out fishing, he had his little fish shop, he had a little piece of land that he is so proud of and he got his title so Steven is somebody with a big heart trying to do a little everyday.”

Reporter: Do you think he was just, this person was maybe a little trigger happy ? 

Susanna Eiley, Sister of Deceased: “Yes this guy was more than trigger happy. For you to shot somebody like that with so many shots that’s not right. That’s not right. He wanted to unload that gun on my nephew, that’s not right. Because this opened a wound for me. Ten years ago I lost my son in gun violence and there was never no justice either for my son. Today I wake up 1:30 when they called me I have to see the body and everything is a wound that’s opened and it’s to fair. I hope they do something with justice. I hope they do something because I don’t believe justice because there is no justice in Belize. I have to walk the streets of San Pedro seeing the murderers of my son almost every single day and that’s not easy. That’s a wound that will never be closed and seeing Steven last night it just opened that wound again.”

Arceo’s body was transported to the San Pedro Polyclinic, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.