More grief for the Figueroa/Galvez/Schakron families

The second killing took place at around 7:30 on Friday night and while its victim was a younger, far stronger man than the first, his killers, said to be 8 total, were merciless as they beat, and stabbed him 7 times to the face, arms, legs, chest and shoulders.  It has also left two families and a neighbourhood grieving for the second time in just five months for someone who fell victim to the same street violence as his friend did back then.

Chris Galvez, 23, was gunned down on December 22, 2009 by one of several men [some of whom were his friends] who had gathered at Pipersburgh Boat Yard off the Western highway at mile 3.  But today it is Galvez’ friend and neighbour, Francis Figueroa, 27, who had just a month ago picked up employment at Galvez’ family business, Royal Wholesale on Vernon Street, who was fatally stabbed.

The incident erupted across the street from the business at around 7:30 that night and ended up right in front of the door.  After he was stabbed, Figueroa ran into the yard and up the stairs to the family’s house where he was seen bleeding profusely from the stab wound which punctured his heart.  He had already gone home, which is one lane away from his workplace and asked his aunts and grandmother what they wanted to eat.  His grandmother, Alice Figueroa says he left home to buy fried chicken as a treat for them.  But Figueroa found himself in front of his workplace engaged in a physical confrontation with someone he knew and served over the counter at the business.  Witnesses say there was an exchange of words between the two and the other guy punched him in the face.  Figueroa, who was a trained boxer during his years in the US, punched his attacker back and they began to wrestle.  But just then a car pulled up with friends of the attacker and it was during that process that witnesses say the knife was passed to him.  And as he stabbed Figueroa, his colleagues kicked and punched Figueroa as well.  When it was over, Figueroa had seven stab wounds, including the one that punctured his heart.

Figueroa had just returned to Belize from the US less than two months ago and had become a man of God, joining the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  He only started working with the Galvez/Schakron business for a little about a month when he was killed.

The man police have charged with his murder is Raymond “Big Tug” Myers Jr, 26, who himself was shot at in 2006.  He survived the attack because although he was hit in the chest, he was wearing a bullet proof vest.

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