Burrell Boom Jane Doe was a woman found dead in the Belize River 3 miles downstream from the Burrell Boom Bridge.
Case[]
On December 14, 2016, a boater in Burrell Boom, Belize, was traveling towards the mouth of the Belize River when he came across a woman's body floating on the river. The police were dispatched to the area and retrieved the body from the river.
The body belonged to a woman in her thirties, believed to be of Creole descent. The decedent had suffered several cut wounds to her back and head. A dark blue shirt had been wrapped tightly around her neck, and a red rope binding her ankles together. Lastly, the decedent was missing one of her hands.
The body was taken to the local medical school for autopsy. The doctor who examined her remains ruled that the cause of death was "traumatic cranium encephalic injuries due to chop wound." She could not be identified due to the decomposition. Straps of a knapsack were wrapped around her leg in such a manner that led the doctor and police to conclude that she had been caught in a crocodile's "Death Roll" and spun around several times. Her missing hand and a majority of her wounds were also the result of post-mortem scavenging by crocodiles in the area. The police searched the river for her missing hand but were unable to find it.
Police went public with the discovery in hopes of finding any leads. Police received reports of a woman believed to be homeless walking in front of Ready Call on the Boom Hattieville Road, from the Philip Goldson Highway towards Burrell Boom, on December 11, three days before the discovery of the body. No one could describe this woman clearly, and no missing person reports matching the decedent were ever filed.
On December 17, the decedent was buried in an unmarked grave.
Characteristics.[]
- Afro.
- A tattoo of a rose with the letters "MICH" on her right breast.
- A tattoo of an animal figure on her left leg.
- A tattoo of a rose on her ankle.
Clothing and accessories[]
- The remains of a knapsack.
- A dark blue blouse.
- Dark blue jeans.