Back here in Belize, the news has been received with shock. Dorla Pitts was the sister of Russell Hyde and Starlette was his niece. The Hydes have also experienced a string of tragic events when the wife, cousin and close friend of Russell were killed within days of each other in May of this year. Brian Hyde, who is in detention in Lehigh is the cousin of Russell. This afternoon, we got the reaction of Alvin Hyde of Belmopan, the father of Dorla and Russell. Duane Moody has that report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
A one year old toddler is now orphaned following the murder of both her parents and her grandmother at their home in Florida. On Tuesday morning, the gruesome discovery was made at the family house at Twenty-First Street South West, Lehigh Acres, Florida. Thirty-seven year old Dorla Pitts, her pregnant daughter, seventeen year old Starlette Pitts, and her boyfriend, nineteen year old Michael Kelly Junior, were found dead inside the Pitts’ home; their baby girl was unhurt. The Pitts have been living in the U.S. for some fifteen years and word spread like wildfire today to relatives in Belize.
Dorla Pitts
Alvin Hyde, Father of Murder Victim
“Today on the news I see it and I neva pay much attention because I am sick and I have problems with my heart and I never want stress out. But I just hear that Dorla and Starlette, they said that they died. I don’t know about the next person.”
Duane Moody
“What you understand happened?”
Starlette Pitts
Alvin Hyde
“I just know that they found them dead in their house.”
Duane Moody
“They were shot?”
Alvin Hyde
“Well I noh know that. I want to know if they were shot or stabbed or what.”
Duane Moody
“She is your oldest daughter?”
Michael Kelly
Alvin Hyde
“No she is not the oldest. She is the third to the youngest. Well you know I dah wah person weh believe ina God and I just pray and make ih give me and my wife strength and try get over it.”
But is another Belizean the perpetrator of this heinous crime? On Tuesday, Brian Hyde, a resident of Roaring Creek, was picked up by Lee County Police and arraigned in court this morning for driving without a license. While it is not known if he committed the crime, Brian was living at the Pitts family home for the past seven months and was nowhere to be found when the incident transpired sometime on Monday night. Police say that Brian is being questioned in connection with the triple murder. Alvin Hyde says he does not want to believe that his nephew killed his daughter and granddaughter.
Brian Hyde
Duane Moody
“Sir, we understand that a relative is currently in detention and is being questioned on the triple murder in the US. Does this come as a shock to you or even like a stab in the back that it is one of your own people, one of your own relatives that could be the perpetrator in this crime?”
Alvin Hyde
“Well it come as a shock because I couldn’t believe that…which in we noh sure as yet and it is just rumors that we hear. So I wouldn’t put it to such a big consideration because I noh know if dah he do it. but I hear on the news.”
Duane Moody
“Do you know Brian?”
Alvin Hyde
“Yes.”
Duane Moody
“He is what to you?”
Alvin Hyde
“I dah ih uncle.”
Duane Moody
“If this is true, what then?”
Alvin Hyde
“I just put it ina God’s hand. I worry because dah mi family, but I can’t stress out myself too much on it.”
Alvin Hyde
This is the second time in months that the family is struck with tragedy. Dorla Pitts is the sister of Russell Hyde, whose wife, cousin and close friend were all slaughtered within days of each other, three months ago, in late May 2015.
Alvin Hyde
“Yes, with my son and now with this one now…it really hard and we got to be strong and we have to left it in God’s hand. Sometimes when I di get the news I noh want listen to news cause I noh want deh di go on. Right now I noh di do well; I deh pan medication and I noh want no worries. So I di try keep away from as much worries as I could. I hear that they will bring the bodies to Belize, but I don’t know when. As soon as we are sure that the body will come, then we will try and do preparation.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
View the full article