Ladyville businessman shot dead

By William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)

BELIZE CITY, Mon. July 6, 2026

   Ladyville police have released 3 persons who were detained for questioning, and no one has yet been charged for the murder of Shane Adrian Vargas, aka “Shatta P”, 44, who was shot dead inside his small store on Jackson Avenue in Ladyville around 8 o’clock last Friday night, July 3.

   Initial investigations revealed that a lone gunman approached the store and fired 2 shots, both of which proved fatal, Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith informed the media on Monday afternoon. When the police arrived at the scene around 8:30 p.m., they recovered the black magazine of a 9mm pistol on the ground, with 16 rounds of 9mm ammo in it, and 2 expended shell casings were found outside the store. Police transported Vargas to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:41 p.m.

   Investigators have yet to establish a motive for the killing, though Smith acknowledged that Vargas was no stranger to the law.