Joshua Martells, deceased
By Charles Gladden
LADYVILLE, Belize District, Tues. Aug. 12, 2025
The decomposing body of a man was found deep in some bushes in Ladyville on Monday, August 11. The body was later identified as that of 25-year-old Joshua Martells of Lords Bank.
Martells’ clothes and necklace were used to confirm his identity.
The discovery of the remains was made after 9:30 a.m. on a family property off Plantation Road in the Benavides Estate area by the property owner, who had been conducting routine checks in the area while construction work was underway.
While it is still unknown how Martells met his demise, his relatives believe he was lured to his death by someone he knew. Martells was last heard from over a week ago; but it was normal for him to not be in touch with the family for periods that were sometimes weeks long before he returned home or contacted them.
Before his death, Martells reportedly predicted that his life would soon come to an end, but those predictions were not taken seriously.   Police are treating the case as a death investigation. A post-mortem examination is yet to be conducted to determine the cause of Martells’ death, says Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police.
