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A murder-suicide no one can explain

HeadlineA murder-suicide no one can explain

Police say Bobby Godfrey shot Delsie Smith in the AAA Security company office, and then shot himself

BELIZE CITY, Tues. Sept. 19, 2017–The management and officers of the AAA Security Company, located at Mile 2 1/2 on the Philip Goldson Highway, are in a state of shock and disbelief after a double death occurred in the company office at about 7:30 Friday evening.

The owner of the company, Robert “Bobby” Godfrey, 66, and the company manager, Delsie Smith, 50, both died of gunshot injuries. Police believe that Godfrey shot Smith in the temple, and then shot himself in the temple.

A company employee who has been working with Godfrey for over 10 years told us that he was at the office, along with Godfrey, Smith, and a female security officer (the despatcher) shortly before the shooting, and they were all talking and laughing. He said that on the surface, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

The employee said, however, that although they were all laughing and talking, he had a sense of uneasiness, as if though something bad would happen.

The worker said that he was to take a security guard to his post, but he was hesitant in leaving, and so, began to look for things he did not need.

Godfrey, however, then told him to leave the office and to take the guard to his post. The employee said that throughout the years during which he had worked for Godfrey, he had never been so brusquely asked to leave.

The despatcher told police that Smith and Godfrey were preparing the company’s pay-sheet to make payment to workers on Saturday, and they were also making a work schedule for the weekend.

According to the despatcher, after completing the schedule, Smith told Godfrey that she was done, and passed the papers to him. Godfrey then took out his gun and shot Smith in the right temple, and then put the gun to his own temple and shot himself.

The despatcher said that she ran out of the door to the road, shouting for help.

A neighbour who was at his home at the time told us that he heard what sounded like “pop shots” coming from the security company’s office, and saw the female security officer running and shouting for help.

A police vehicle that was travelling from Belama to Belize City at the time, stopped and she got into the vehicle and they went to the office.

Police, for their part, say they saw Godfrey and Smith lying on the floor in pools of their blood, apparently dead. Police recovered a .38 Special revolver from Godfrey’s hand, in which there were two expended shells and three live rounds.

The employee who spoke to us said that he got the call about the tragedy as he dropped off the security guard at the post. He regrets that he wasn’t at the office at the time, to try and prevent the deaths of his friends.

The employee said that Godfrey was very reserved, a man who kept things to himself. He said that although they were friends, and talked frequently, Godfrey never confided in him about anything that was bothering him. Godfrey never gave any indication that he would carry out such a shocking act, he said.

The worker said that for the last six months, Godfrey, who used to run the business from his office upstairs, had been working in the office downstairs with his manager, Smith. She reported directly to him. He said they had a good working relationship; he was always beside her, ensuring that everything was running smoothly.

Smith, who used to live in Hattieville, lived in a building on the work compound at the time of the incident. Her devastated daughter, Tricia Logan, said that her mother was a good woman who was dedicated to her job. She said her mother had a good relationship with her boss, and she would not condemn him for what he has done. She said that Godfrey was kind to them, and was a friend of the family. They had known him for 11 years, and on Christmas he would bring toys and other gifts for them.

In remembering her mother, Logan told KREM Radio that Smith was a giving person, a very kind, happy person, who loved to dance and sing. She said she would always remember Godfrey, and she extended her condolences to his family for their loss, as well.

Smith was the mother of six children — four boys and two girls. Godfrey was also the father of six children — three boys and three girls. He was the younger brother of attorney and former PUP Minister of Government, Glenn D. Godfrey, of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye.

A police investigation into the alleged murder-suicide has so far not revealed the motive for the crime.

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