By Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Fri. Sept. 12, 2025
Ellis “Juice” Meighan, 33, after appearing in court following his deportation back to the country, was remanded to the Belize Central Prison after being charged for the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Roy Lee Burgess in April 2024.
Meighan had fled to the U.S. following the incident, but was deported last week and arrived at the Philip Goldson International Airport on Tuesday, September 9, in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who handed him over to local police.
He was charged with murder for Burgess’ death and attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, and dangerous harm for the attempted murder of Maia James, who survived the attack.
Meighan appeared unrepresented in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Friday, September 12, and was denied bail due to the nature of the offense. He was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until November 6.
It was alleged that Meighan, at the time, was an associate of the deceased Burgess, who met up with him and James at a local establishment in Placencia, where all three persons got inside Burgess’ vehicle with the understanding that they would drop off Meighan at an area where someone else would be waiting for him.
They arrived at the location after an estimated 20-minute drive, whereupon Meighan reportedly pulled out a firearm and fatally shot Burgess, then turned the weapon on James, leaving her for dead. He then escaped by entering a passing vehicle.
Wanted posters were issued for Meighan after the incident; however, he was later detained at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, California, where he attempted to claim asylum, which was followed by a lengthy period of formal procedures before he was deported. Meighan is one of Belize City’s most infamous underworld characters. In 2020, he and his siblings – Tyrone “Debo” Meighan and Shaquille Meighan – were accused of being members of a gang, namely, the Banak Street clique of the Ghost Town Crips. They pleaded not guilty to the charge but were remanded at the Belize Central Prison and were acquitted of the charges in 2023.
