Arson suspected by ex-common law husband

By Charles Gladden

ORANGE WALK, Mon. Oct. 20, 2025

   A house fire that ignited in the early hours of Monday, October 20, in San Felipe Village, Orange Walk District, has resulted in a mother and her son, 35-year-old Angelita Magana and 6-year-old Tishaun Godoy, being burned to death.

   Magana was sleeping at the residence in her bedroom with her son, Tishaun Godoy, and daughter, 17-year-old Shadia Magana. Her common-law husband, Miguel Novelo was sleeping in another room sometime around 3:00 a.m., when he heard a loud sound coming from the direction of Magana’s room.

   Novelo went to check the source of the sound and encountered Angelita’s ex-common-law husband, 34-year-old Francisco Godoy running from the room engulfed in flames. Shortly after, both Shadia and Angelita were seen covered in flames and Angelita ran into the bathroom. Novelo then attempted to re-enter the burning room to rescue Tishaun Godoy; however, he couldn’t due to the flame’s intensity.

   Novelo and Shadia managed to escape with assistance from a nearby relative who was sleeping in a pickup truck. However, unfortunately, after the fire was extinguished, fire officials made the heartbreaking discovery that Angelita Magana and Tishaun Godoy were both burned to death.

   All surviving persons – Shadia Magana, Miguel Novelo, and Francisco Godoy – were taken to the Northern Regional Hospital in Orange Walk Town suffering from various degrees of burn injuries. Magana and Godoy were both listed as critical; meanwhile, Novelo was treated and released from the hospital.

   Earlier this month, on October 7, Francisco Godoy was released from the Belize Central Prison as he had been locked up for assault against his former common-law, Angelita Magana, who had reportedly been a frequent victim of his violent behavior. On Friday, October 17, Magana had attempted to place a restraining order against Godoy, but the court had already closed for the day.

   “Situations such as these, it appears to be, it certainly is most unfortunate. I believe it just happened that a very narrow window would have made itself available for Mr. Godoy in this instance because he would have been on bail. Generally speaking, I am sure attempts may have been made to revoke his bail for a matter pertaining to same Miss Magana. However, it’s that tiny window that unfortunately allowed for somebody who has disclosed and displayed a level of violence against Miss Magana and it’s most regrettable that it culminated in this fashion,” ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer for the Belize Police Department.

   It was reported that Godoy poured gasoline on the sleeping family then set them ablaze while accidently also setting himself on fire. He is currently under police guard in critical condition at the hospital, and charges have not yet been brought against him.