Belize - Gabriel Bochnia, 38, Canadian. murdered, Corozal, 4 Oct 2017

The family of a man originally from Toronto is grieving after the 38-year-old was fatally shot just outside his home in Belize Wednesday night.

Gabriel Bochnia is being remembered as a devoted father, beloved son and brother, his sister, Kate Bochnia, told CBC News.

"He was known for his big heart, always willing to assist those in need," said Bochnia's sister, who lives in Toronto. "His loss is a horrific blow to our family and friends and we are devastated."
Bochnia was returning to his family's home in the Chula Vista area of the seaside town of Corozal with his wife and their three children when he was shot, Belize police spokesperson Raphael Martinez said.

Martinez said Bochnia had gotten out of his vehicle to open the gate when a man with a rag over his face emerged from behind the bushes, shooting Bochnia in the abdomen.
He died in hospital.
Martinez says Bochnia's wife — 27-year-old Jeshanah Maritza-Zetina — and the children were not injured and the attacker fled.
Martinez could not say how long Bochnia had lived in Belize, adding that the investigation is in its early stages.

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Corozal residents are shaken tonight after another Canadian has been killed in their town, this time in the Chula Vista area.

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Another Canadian Killed In Corozal
posted (October 5, 2017)

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10:00. Bochnia and his family had just come back from a Chetunmal trip. They had taken Bochnia's parents to get the bus to Cancun and then to Canada. But now, his parents have to return to Belize - this time it's not for a vacation but for their son's funeral. Courtney Weatherburne went to Corozal today to find out about the deadly late night encounter. Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Gabriel and Jeshanah Bochnia had been married for 7 Years. They were blessed with 3 beautiful children. But the joy captured in this Christmas photo was taken from them last night.
Voice of: Neighbor 1
"Around 10:20pm I would say, there was a storm, thunder, lightning, whatever, but I was getting ready to sleep and when I heard what sounded to me like gunshots."
Those gunshots struck Gabriel Bochnia to his stomach. Gabriel and the family had just parked in front of their house after a trip to Chetumal. Gabriel barely made it out of his truck when the gunman known to police as Polo ran up to him and fired two shots - one hit him and caused the fatal injury:
Voice of: Neighbor 2
"I heard a noise, so the first thing what I did about this noise, I opened my window to see what's happening, because like how there was thunder and raining i just opened to see what happened and then I see this guy dropping on the floor."
After shooting Gabriel, the gunman turned the gun to his wife, Jeshanah but it misfired. He then ran off leaving Jeshanah screaming for help and her kids frozen in shock and fear in the back seat of the truck. The neighbor then came out to help.
Voice of: Neighbor 2
"I just open the door again and I went to help her. I tried to put him in the pick up - the 3 of us tried to put him in the pick up and then he was so heavy, so we tried to pull him up, because we see that he needed help. This little boy, his son, came down from the truck to see his dad. He was saying they shoot dad and I just tried to put him back in the pick up so we could go, because we can't left the kids."
"We took the kids and we put him in the pick up and we just drive to go."
Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"The children, they saw everything."

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And all that doubt after an execution like this, still hangs for Canadian Francesca Matus. Matus and her boyfriend Drew Devoursney were found dead in Chan Chen Corozal in May. Gabriel Bochnia is the second Canadian murdered in Corozal in 6 months, leaving more broken families desperate for answers. We will keep following this case - but police aren't saying anything about possible motives or suspects. They only said that they recovered two 9 millimeter shells from the scene.
Bochnia becomes the third Canadian to be slain in Corozal in the last 4 years. As noted in the story, Francesca Matus was killed earlier this year, and 57 year-old Canadian Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich was murdered in Consejo Village in 2013.

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Cops believe the gunman was waiting for him and that the Canadian man was targeted. It’s believed he knew his killer, who local media reports say is a former employee known as Polo who’d just been released from prison.

Bochnia had been living in Belize for nearly a decade and had no known enemies, neighbours told Channel 5. It’s believed the suspected triggerman is in custody along with an American national.

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Witnessing the nightmare were Bochnia’s three young children.

“This little boy, his son, came down from the truck to see his dad,” the neighbour said, adding they were trying to get Bochnia in a vehicle and take him to a hospital.

“He was saying, ‘they shoot dad,’ and I just tried to put him back in the pickup so we could go because we can’t leave the kids,” the man added. “The children, they saw everything.”

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Meanwhile, the investigation into who murdered real estate speculator Matus remains ice cold, with friends fearing there may never be a resolution.

In 2013, another Canadian, Patricia Lynn Nichiporowich, was stabbed to death in Belize.

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Kamille said:

Um yeah, I'm going out on a limb here to suggest that it's rather unsafe to do business in Belize, regardless of your nationality. There are always going to be people who resent your perceived success or wealth and it appears there is no real deterrent to them if they feel like killing you for it or because of it.

They couldn't pay me to move to Belize after the things I've read. Doubt I'd ever choose to vacation there either.

RIP Mr Bochnia. :rose:

:notgood:

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kmclaren said:

Here is Gabriel's facebook, if you snoop back far enough he may have been involved in a lawsuit, possibly initiating it...

https://www.facebook.com/luxybelize.luxy?lst=100002691605143:100003308704450:1507339870

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The man accused of gunning down a former Toronto man in front of his wife and kids in Belize was also involved in a 2005 cop killing.

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Police Const. Morris Martinez’s decomposing body was discovered eight days after he suddenly vanished.

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Cops said the motive for their colleague’s death was robbery. Kiou was part of a robbery ring and another suspect took the fall for the slaying. Kiou was jailed for his role in the heist — but not the homicide.

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