AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Caye Caulker Man Murdered In Caye Caulker Home

And another father was gunned down in Caye Caulker Village on Saturday night. At exactly 7:32, seven gunshots were fired, several of them hitting 45-year-old Floyd Samuels and grazing his wife, who sat beside him.

When the gunshots stopped and she came outside, Samuels was already dead.

The two men who attacked him called him by his nickname, "South," and asked for "Fonto" leaves, killing him before he had the chance to give them.

So was it someone he knew? And did his past in Belize City come back to haunt him?

Courtney Menzies went to the island today to find out more. Here is that story.

45-year-old Floyd Samuels was sitting right here on this couch with his common-law wife when he came under fire. Two men approached him from under this almond tree with murder on their mind. Seven shots rang out, leaving Samuels slumped over, and his common-law injured.

But though the gunman ran off through this picado road, police have already detained suspects.

ACP Hilberto Romero, OC, Eastern Division
"We have three persons in custody in regards to this murder. Kimara Andrewin received a minor graze and she was treated and released from the clinic."

Courtney Menzies:
"Did these men know the victim, because they seemed to have come to his house and called out his name."

ACP Hilberto Romero, OC, Eastern Division
"That is the information we gathered at the scene that yes they knew the person."

Reporter:
"A motive behind this?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OC, Eastern Division
"We do not have a motive, we are working on that right now, we are doing interviews to try and ascertain what transpired that led to this murder."

Reporter:
"Has he had any run ins with the law back when he was in Belize City?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OC, Eastern Division
"Yes, minor incidents the police dealt with him."

But that's why he and his common-law wife left the city over a decade ago - to start over in Caye Caulker. They spent their days working and their nights together at home, and would have never guessed that they were being targeted.

Voice of: Kimara Andrewin, Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"We've been together for about 15, 16 years. We moved out here over ten years ago. He had his own… thing, we just came out here for a better life, to change for a better life."

And at that point this morning, Andrewin could barely speak. She hadn't eaten or slept since losing the person she considered her best friend.

Voice of: Kimara Andrewin, Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"The best person I know. Hardworking man, work hard for his family, he's a family man, he loves his sons, love his sons… hard working man. He more would try to help fix a problem than create one. That's all I could say. And he loves his family. From work to home, he doesn't really party, he parties like sometimes, but he is always at work or home. I don't know what to say, he's my everything, so I don't know what to say."

"We do everything together, he's like my best friend, we catch up on the day, we eat together, we bathe together."

Courtney Menzies:
"How are you coping?"

Voice of: Kimara Andrewin, Common-Law Wife of Deceased
"I don't, right now at this point, I don't understand what's the word 'cope' because my best friend is gone, the person that I could look forward to catch up on, who I know will come certain hours from work, walk in, tell me how his day went… I'm okay, but it will be a while for me to be me."

But before Samuels' death, La Isla Carinosa hadn't seen a murder in years. According to the chairlady, this has left the community in shock.

Selena Villanueva Pott, Chairlady, Caye Caulker
"More in disbelief and shock, even up to now, being of the peaceful nature Caye Caulker has been known for, it's still sinking in a little bit."

"I honestly believe this is a… a first or a second, like we know maybe ten years ago there was a similar incident where a lady was, her throat was slashed, but that was the last of that incident, and this one is where they went for him as well in his home. We're not sure why we're having these occurrences out here but it disrupts the peace of the island."

"The gentleman, from what I understand, is very family oriented, so I'm not sure what the problem is, or where it stems from. Why would they go for him all the way in his home? It's puzzling."

A puzzle that the police will have to solve, and while those closest to him say they're not seeking vengeance, they are hoping for justice.

Samuels was a construction worker and leaves behind four children.

At the scene, police found expended shells as well as live rounds of ammunition. As you heard, they currently have three suspects in custody.

Channel 7

John Hyde Jr. charged for the murder of Floyd Samuels in Caye Caulker

Police have formally arrested and charged 26-year-old John Elwin Hyde Jr. with Murder following the shooting death of Caye Caulker resident, Floyd Samuels, 45. On the night of Saturday, June 3rd, Samuels was shot dead at his residence on Avenida Mangle. According to a police report, two male persons reportedly went to his home to purchase tobacco leaves ('fonto') from him. Afterward, neighbors reported that they heard gunshots in the area.

Police investigation led to the apprehension of three suspects that same evening. Two days after, on Monday, June 5th, Caye Caulker Police concluded that Hyde Jr. was liable for the crime and charged him with Murder. Hyde Jr. is expected to be arraigned at the Magistrate Court in Belize City. During an afternoon police press briefing on Monday, June 5th, it was stated that officers in Caye Caulker were alerted about the incident after 7:30PM. According to the official report, as many as seven gunshots were heard in the area. Samuels was hit multiple times to his body, while some of the bullets grazed his common-law wife. She called for help and tried to assist Samuels, who was motionless, lying face down on a couch. Samuels did not survive the attack, and a local doctor pronounced him dead at 8:07PM. The body was then transported to Belize City's Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun