Police Investigate First Murder of 2025 as Fisherman Found Dead on Turneffe Island

Investigators are clueless as to what may have led to the first murder of 2025 just four days into the new year. On Saturday, the lifeless body of 59-year-old Godfrey Windfield Hyde was discovered on Turneffe Island around 1:30pm. Police say 52-year-old fisherman, Fredrick Dougal, had gone to the island to deliver supplies to Hyde, a caretaker of the area, and found him dead. Dougal discovered the Belize City resident covered in blood and lying face down on the veranda of a bungalow house. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero says Hyde had been shot twice and left for dead. Today, he spoke on the police’s investigation so far and the difficulty pin pointing when Hyde was killed.  

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division: “Information is that the caretaker of that island was there for a while and someone brought supplies to him after which the body was found. The body was identified to be that of Godfrey Hyde, 59 years fisherman of Belize. We do not know at this time. He was there alone on the island and his body was found there. The person that took the supplies contact the Coast Guard who made checks. They found the body then they called for the police.”

Reporter: Have police discovered anything from the house that the found might be missing ? 
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division:“No. Not at this time, nothing has been established that has been missing. We have gotten no information what this is all about. He was there alone and his body was found.”

His body was taken to the National Forensic Science Service for a post-mortem examination.