Sherris Stringham a Native of Blue Springs Mo

Police: Sherris Stringham Was Killed By Teenaged Burglars

Hopkins residents are still trying to come to terms with Sherris Stringham's ruthless murder. Stringham's body was found on Friday night under a bridge at mile 17 and a half on the Stann Creek Valley Road. It looks to investigators like a case of a home invasion turned murder. But Police have made major headway, they have reportedly gotten confession statements and charged two men and a 16 year old minor. The two men are related: they are 18 year old Anthony Nunez and 18 year old Wilhlelm Nunez. Courtney Weatherburne has the full story from the time Stringham went missing to this morning's arraignment at the Dangriga Magistrates court. Here's her report:

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
The joy and warmth that once filled Sherris Stringham's Hopkins home is gone.

Now there is only sorrow, this black bow and a makeshift message board that her friends pinned on the gate.

Sherris Stringham's decomposed body was found on Friday night around 11:30 under this bridge at mile 17 and a half on the Stan Creek Valley Road.

Now to backtrack, Stringham went missing on the previous Saturday. Her friends started to get worried when she didn't meet up with her friends on Sunday.

Will Sanders, Friend
"Sherris went missing as far as we can tell, between 7:00 and 9:30 on Saturday night and she was supposed to meet some other friends on Sunday but she did not show up and that is very much unlike Sherris, she does what she says she is gonna do, she is a very responsible individual, she speaks to her daughter like everyday religiously. So it was thought that maybe something came up on Sunday and she did something out of the norm but when she did not show up for yoga which she did on Monday people were extremely alarmed, people had not heard from her, her vehicle was missing and that is when the alarm bells went off."

That is when her friends made an official police report and formed a search party. But it didn't turn up anything.

The first big lead in Strinham's case was when police found her vehicle on Wednesday night in Orange Walk.

Our information is that 5 males, including 2 minors broke into her home on Saturday night, one of them strangled her while the others raided her house.

The men then took her in the vehicle, drove to this bridge and flung her body over. She fractured her ribs and chest bone on that massive fall. Police are unclear whether she died when she was strangled at her home, or when she was thrown over the bridge.

Today when we spoke to Stringham's neighbor he says he didn't suspect a thing that Saturday night.

Voice of: Albert Martinez, Neighbour
"I didn't hear anything unusual that is the thing because when they told me she was missing I didn't quite understand why she was missing."

Reporter
"We understand it was a home invasion, that a couple men broke into her house."

Voice of: Albert Martinez, Neighbor
"That is what the police said when they came."

Reporter
"But you didn't see or hear anything at all?"

Voice of: Albert Martinez, Neighbor
"No nothing, nothing unusual."

But police were still able to get useful information and crack the case. So far two men and a minor have been charged with murder and this morning they were arraigned at the Dangriga Magistrate court. Stringham's friends were all gathered at court looking on as the men accused of killing their beloved friend, were escorted to the police station. It was bitter sweet as they were relieved that justice was served but then the crushing reality hit that they would never see her again.

Leslie Sorrelo, Friend
"All of us are especially saddened about Sherris but also thinking so much of her family and friends all across this country and the United States."

Bob Miller, Friend
"This is very close to home, other people have lost their lives and been burglarized and beaten and various things but because I actually spoke to Sherris and knew her somewhat, that makes it close to home and that is why I say she was a sweet lady."

Reporter
"Finally for me how you all will remember Sherris."

Will Sanders, Friend
"As an enthusiastic bubbly personality that was happy to do anything for anybody."

There will be a vigil of remembrance for Stringham on Thursday evening at 5:00 in Hopkins at the Catholic Church grounds. Stringham had retired to Hopkins a year ago. The Kansas native's murder has been making headlines in the US. Was building a house on the south end of the village by the Marina. The construction workers said they have been working on the house for about 3 months.

Alleged Killers Menace Stringham�s Friends In Court

And, in more bad news, one of Stringham's friends who was at court this morning says one of the accused men threatened to kill her. She told us more about it. She also discussed how the crime situation in Hopkins is affecting them as foreigners as well as Belizean born residents.

Leslie Sorrelo, Friend
"Two of the people charged with Sherris' murder I was taking notes because LOVEFM saw that and they threatened my life and said they will murder me too and the other one said yeah we will. So these are dangerous men and we hope for Sherris's sake justice is served with the appropriate action."

Reporter
"You are also going to make an official police report regarding this threat?"

Leslie Sorrelo, Friend
"Yes I will and witnesses have agreed to do that. We called Hopkins home and we called Belize home and we did that because we love this country. We love the people of this country and it's not just expats or tourists, it's the Belizeans too and we are worried about them. We are all in this together, because it's about the bad guys committing crimes and those of us that wants to live in a safe community."

Stringham was Sorrell's yoga classmate.

Police Discuss Stringham Investigation

Now, reports say police have gotten confession statements from at least one of the suspects - and that is how they found the body.

Today, the Head of National Crimes Investigation told us more:..

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, NCIB
"Around 11:45am, police visited an area between miles 18 and 19 on the Stann Creek Valley Road where they discovered the body of Miss Stringham in a state of decomposition. The body was removed from there where a post-mortem was conducted where she died from traumatic asphyxia. As a result, police have since arrested and charged eighteen-year-old Wilhem Nunez and eighteen-year-old Anthony Nunez and a sixteen year old minor for the crime of murder."

Reporter
"Are they related?"

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, NCIB
"Yes."

Reporter
"So these men are Hopkins villagers?"

ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, NCIB
"Yes they are."

Reporter
"So she was missing for a week, maybe 8 days before her body was found. Is it the belief of the investigators, based on the condition of the body found, that she had been killed on the day of her disappearance?"

ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes, we do believe that was the case based on the investigation."

Reporter
"Was she killed in a home investigation or aggravated burglary as it is called?"

ACP Joseph Myvett
"Yes, the house was indeed burglarized where she was taken from the home and then later on she was transported to where the body was found."

Reporter
"You all believe that she was taken from the home alive or that she was killed in the home and then?"

ACP Joseph Myvett
"We do not know that at this point in time. We are still currently investigating this matter."

We'll keep following the story to see if more charges are brought.

Channel 7

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