AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Kevin 'Boco T' Kelly dies in SP Police custody

Capt. Jeff, you don't have to debate me, because we obviously will never be of the same mind. But there is quite a difference between being robbed with no violence and being robbed with assault. Even so, I don't believe it warrants the death penalty, particularly without benefit of judge and jury.

Also, having everyone afraid of the police because they are so poorly trained, is no damn help at all.

I don't feel safer that the police in San Pedro are such keystone cops that they beat those in custody to death or shoot of their guns when they shouldn't, and heck, they are hardly ever around when a person is getting robbed anyway.

Who was doing beach watch when Abel's boat got stolen? Yeah, I feel safer . . .not.

Thank you Seashell. Police beating people is no solution nor a deterrent to crime.

Two assumptions that the police trying their best to protect the public and get some trash off the street beat him to death? I don't know the history there, but as someone who has been robbed twice, I'd at least give them the benefit of the doubt.

Upstanding citizen "Bocco" could well have had some dependency issues, cardio problems, or just been affraid of the dark. You don't know what happened any more than we do. Why the quick pass for the bad guy?

Certainly not condoning jail house beatings or "elevator rides" but you're wrong if you don't think things like this make real or potential criminals think twice before acting. It certainly isn't the threat of 5 days in jail or rehabilitation that keeps you from being beaten in an alley or your wife from being raped. Criminals aren't rational thinking people like you.

like2lean, did you read the news article in San Pedro Sun? Are you aware that before the keystone cops let him get away from them, one cop bonked the bad guy on the head pretty severely? Yes, there is some potential that a dependency problem may have contributed to heart failure, etc., but my reading of the article led me to believe that the doctor thought it was a physical injury related to the bonk on the head or his fall (or both). And hopefully, some info like that will come out later, so as to take some of the heat off of the keystone cops. Be that as it may, the police are not well trained enough, not disciplined enough and probably not even paid enough to desire to become those things.

I've got no problem with the police removing bad elements, as is and should be their duty. My problem is with the police going beyond their duty. Again, robbery or even robbery with assault, does not a death penalty make. We're fortunate no one else was killed or wounded in the cops wild abandon shooting, after they let a perp ESCAPE. Ya, again, feeling much safer . . . not.

We will not know for sure what the cause of death was but the reality is crime is increasing at a very alarming rate and i used to go round the net on forums countering peoples questions on crime and sticking up for San Pedro but I can't now because all I seem to see now is reports coming from the island of home invasions daily robberies, drugs etc etc

The island has to wake up real quick because there is some serious damage being done to the islands reputation online and its really sad to see, and even though it might not be as bad as it implies the perception from anyone reading news online seems there is more and more crime being committed every week.

I really hope it is tackled real quick and while I don't wish death on someone for their crimes this guy was supposed to be in prison for 3 years but was out after 3 months, the system is not working and if San pedro is not careful it could be the next Belize City, HARSH WORDS I know but maybe that is what it will take to wake people up that it is an emergency on the island an the time to take action is now.

Gaz Cooper

BOCO T Dies In Police Custody

Another man has been killed in the custody of San Pedro Police.

38 year old Kevin Kelly, known as Boco T is the second man to die while in custody of San Pedro police in just over two months. But the story of his death is not clear cut. Kelly apparently broke his neck while escaping from police last night. The police say he jumped a fence - and fainted twice before they got him back to the station - where he fainted once more.

When police realized he was having difficulty breathing, they called the town's Doctor, but by the time he arrived Kelly was dead. Doctor Javier Zuniga is quoted in the San Pedro Sun as saying that his death may have been as a result of, "severe head or neck injuries," possibly form falling from a high fence.

The Sun explains that Kelly was the suspect in a robbery earlier that night. Police went to detain him and were escorting him into custody when he ran off. Police chased Kelly and fired shots at him. But he jumped over a high fence behind an area known as Four Sisters Plaza - which is where police are saying he may have injured himself - because he started fainting when they picked him up form that area. He had scrapes to the forehead and elbow.

Police also note that Kelly had just been released from custody earlier Thursday morning after they were found with a tourist's stolen purse. She did not want to press charges, so he was released.

While that is the information that we've gathered - the family says police haven't told them anything yet. His common law wife, Lorna Wade told us why they are distressed tonight.

Lorna Wade
"This morning about 2 o' clock his mom Joan Kelly came to knock on my window and ask me if I heard that Kevin died. I jump up and said oh no, this was between sleep and awake. When I got up a young lady by the name of precious came to me and said that police shot Boco and killed him."

"After I got ready and I went to the morgue to see his body but I didn't notice any gunshot wounds. Right now we are waiting for the autopsy to find out how he died."

Monica Bodden
"At this time you guys are a little concern since he was found dead in a police holding cell? Are you guys concern as to what may have happen inside that cell?"

Lorna Wade
"We are very concern because up to this time no police has contacted me nor his mother to tell us the reason and the cause of his death. The only news that we heard is that they brought him off the island, so we went to the morgue and up to yet we don't know how he died and what the cause of death is. Up to now we still don't have any answers."

Monica Bodden
"So, until Monday the post mortem will be conducted?"

Lorna Wade
"Yes and we decided to take a lawyer with us because we are very concern and our lawyer had accompany us at the morgue but the person who is responsible for the dead at the morgue says that he cannot allow the lawyer to touch the body until the police confirm whatever happened."

BOCO-T was the father of three children.

The Commissioner of Police has ordered that a criminal and internal investigation be conducted by the Professional Standard Branch in this matter so as to quote, "rule out any misconceptions."

It is of very important note that Kelly was sentenced to three years in Prison in January of this year for an outstanding drug possession fine. We could not get any confirmation on why he was not serving his sentence.

Channel 7

Another person dies in police lockup

The death of Arthur Young was foretold by the man himself. He often said that the police would kill him. And though the police said that he was accidentally shot, three bullets bring little comfort to the family of the Taylor's Alley leader. Since Young's Sunday night shooting, another man has died in police custody. In February, a San Pedro resident mysteriously died inside a cell at its Police Station and last night, another detained man passed away. News Five Isani Cayetano travelled to La Isla Bonita to unravel the last day of Kevin Kelly or Kevin Myvette, who is better known on the streets as Boco T.

 

Isani Cayetano Reporting

The mysterious death of thirty-eight year old Kevin Kelly, known in the streets of Belize City as Boco T, is the second loss of life involving a captive inside the holding cell of the San Pedro Police Station. At around ten o'clock on Thursday night Kelly allegedly robbed an employee of Celi's Diner as she was walking along Barrier Reef Drive with her siblings.

 

Vienni Robinson, Officer Commanding San Pedro Police Formation

"At ten p.m. on Thursday the twenty-sixth of April, 2012 Filipa Estela Lamb, twenty-four years [old], cook of a Coconut Drive address, San Pedro Town was walking on Front Street in front of the Central Park when she was robbed of her gold chain, her black and gold in color purse and a red and black Alcatel cell phone. Police and B.D.F. patrol were in the area and they came upon them struggling and caught up with him. He was identified as one Kevin Kelly, aka Boco T, thirty-eight years old of a Fairweather Street address, with cell phone in hand. Kelly was detained and handed over at the San Pedro Police Station."

 

The account of Kelly's demise is based on a report submitted by the police department. According to residents of the vicinity where Kelly absconded to, he was pursued by several officers into a construction site where a complex is being built for former mayor Elsa Paz. There he was apparently threatened by one of the officers wielding a firearm. Kelly was purportedly told that if he attempted to flee the scene by scaling the fence at the rear of the property, he would be shot dead.

 

Vienni Robinson

"At the police station whilst in the process of being locked down Kevin Kelly was escaped and was immediately pursued by the San Pedro police. The chase ended up in a yard behind the Three Sisters building and after jumping the fence he fell, apparently on his face and he became faint. He was handcuffed and walked towards the gulf cat where he fainted again. This time he was placed on the gulf cart and brought to the police station. He revived again [and this time] he was placed in the cell alive. Later on he fainted again [and] the assistance of Dr. Zuniga was called and he was pronounced dead at 11:48 p.m."

 

Kelly, as News Five understands, was recently detained for trying to extort tourists on the island for money and other valuables. According to O.C. Vienni Robinson, he was released from custody because the visitors decided not to press charges against him. Nonetheless, he was asked to leave the island forthwith. Kelly chose to remain and that's when he committed another offence.

 

Vienni Robinson

"There was no visible signs of injury on the body except for scrapes and [bruises] on his forehead and elbow which is believed to have been received while he was jumping over those fences. The body has since been transported to the Belize City morgue where it awaits a post mortem to determine the cause of death."

 

Again, residents maintain that Boco T was badly beaten before being taken into custody for a second time. Robinson says a full investigation will be conducted to certify that Kelly died of natural causes.

 

Vienni Robinson

"Belize City police, CIB officers of course, and officers from the Professional Standard Branch will be out here assisting with the investigation in order to rule out any misconceptions."

 

On the morning of February twenty-first, thirty-one year old Miguel Martinez was found dead inside a holding cell at the San Pedro Police Station. He was detained by police for beating a machete against a seawall before turning up dead inside the cell. Kelly's death is the third inside the station's holding cell. Reporting for News Five, I'm Isani Cayetano.

Channel 5

I can understand that the police are not well trained
and make nothing that is part of the problem
they have no reason to do a good job and bribes help them get thru the day .a very bad message here.My son is a police offcer
he is now a police offcer 8 years he made $115,000US. last year he gets a wonderful pension ,all benfits .he would never take a bribe .but here it is a third world country the police make like $200 us a week??? A guess ?? this is part of the problem .who wants to risk there lives here for nothing ??
so there lies the problem.. they are like the wild wild west .I do not see a lot crime here I feel safe as i do not go out late at night drunk.or do silly things ,but things happen,and it is happing more and more the island must act now
And it is time for some things to happen in a positve way now.
AND IF IT DOES NOT HAPPEN TOURISM WILL FALL AND ALL THE HARD WORKING PEOPLE OF SANPEDRO IN DEEP DOO DOO. JMHO.

I agree with you Jeff, both my brothers are Police officers in the UK, one a lifer almost 30 years the other 10 years and they are astounded that an island so small cannot handle the crime (based on their training of course)and I agree again with you that San pedro is in serious trouble if they do not act and act quick.

This past 2 weeks there have been double robberies on the beach by this dead guy, plus 2 Burglaries, of local business's, plus a boat stolen, not mention Mr Ayuso an old age pensioner being assaulted and robbed in broad daylight.

If this is not enough to wake people up to the increasing problems what is ??

The press is quick to jump to the defense of a criminal that committed 2 violent robbery crimes in the same amount of days, yet they make him out to be the victim of the police, GIVE ME A BREAK these are BAD guys, and if he was not committing crimes he could be having a quiet beer at a local bar tonight, but the reality is he is a CAREER criminal that should of been in jail but instead he was a criminal that paid for his crimes with his life.

I cannot feel any remorse for him when I am sure if push came to shove it might be a post about a tourist or local that had passed away.

I really hope the island can tackle this and Danny should have crime at the top of his agenda and a TOP PRIORITY.

Gaz Cooper

I applaud the new Mayor for his efforts in cleaning up trash, fixing he bridge, etc, but he does not seem to be focused on what many consider the highest priority on this Island - crime and the lack of police support. Requiring boat /ferry manifests and monitoring (video) the incoming/ outgoing traffic would be a good start.

Keep in mind that in some cases, crimes are committed, but either: A) not reported (in some cases, due to the painful process of filling out the paperwork), or B) reported to the police and paperwork completed, but somehow never make it to be "reported" in the media (or even neighborhood watch groups). Not sure where the breakdown is occurring....., but I suspect that we are only hearing about a fraction of actual occurrences.