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Former police officer Elmer Nah has been found guilty of the triple execution-style murders of Jon, Vivian, and David Ramnarace. He was also found guilty of one count of attempted murder, accounting for Yenie Alberto, who survived after being shot in the abdomen during the deadly New Year’s Eve attack in Belmopan back in 2022. The guilty verdict was handed down this afternoon by Justice Nigel Pilgrim following nearly three hours of detailed analysis of the evidence presented during the lengthy judge-alone trial. In delivering the judgment, Justice Pilgrim said Nah deliberately lied about his movements on the night of the murders in an attempt to deceive the court. The judge pointed specifically to Nah’s statements about visiting the nearby Wei Li shop, noting that surveillance footage failed to place him there at the times he claimed. Justice Pilgrim described the murders as calculated and execution-style killings, noting that Jon and David Ramnarace were each shot multiple times to the head while Vivian Ramnarace was also repeatedly shot before later dying from her injuries. The judge added that the evidence showed Nah intended to wipe out the entire Ramnarace family. The court also found that Nah took direct steps to kill Yenie Alberto after shooting her in the abdomen while she attempted to flee the home. Nah’s defense throughout the trial was one of alibi. He testified that he was at home washing a pair of tennis shoes with his nephew, Amin Nah, and claimed he had nothing to do with the murders. He also told the court that he did not know the Ramnarace family. Justice Pilgrim stated that the court was sure Nah was the gunman, sure that he caused the deaths of Jon, David, and Vivian Ramnarace, and equally certain that he intended to kill Yenie Alberto. Following today’s guilty verdict, family members of the Ramnaraces reacted emotionally outside the courtroom. Vivian’s sister, Vashti Belisle, said the family always believed Nah was responsible, pointing to what she described as his suspicious behavior and body language over the years.
Vasthi Belisle, Sister of Vivian Belisle (Deceased): “Nah is always staring down the family. Me especially because I don’t know if you’ve seen pictures of her I resemble her a lot so I always said even if he got acquitted I know that it’s him just from his body language and the way he looks at me every time he sees me. I know he’s looking at Vivian when he sees me. As much as we are thankful today we are still I guess overwhelmed because despite this victory, you know, we’re still without Vivian. I’m just glad that justice was served especially for her today.”
Reporter: Do you fear an appeal?
Vasthi Belisle, Sister of Vivian Belisle (Deceased): “I know that it’s coming, but you know, we’re in it for the long haul and we’re here for however long.”
The guilty verdict came after the court accepted key hearsay evidence from the late Vivian Ramnarace, who gave a statement to police before succumbing to her injuries days after the shooting. Justice Pilgrim ruled that Vivian was an honest, credible, and reliable witness whose account of the attack was consistent and believable. The judge noted that Vivian had approximately twenty-two seconds to observe the shooter and repeatedly described him as “Vidal’s nephew,” referring to the man she had previously seen on television following the highly publicized drug plane landing case. The court accepted that Vivian had both an outside and inside view of the gunman during the attack and concluded that her description pointed directly to Nah. Justice Pilgrim further ruled that there was no need for a formal identification parade after Vivian’s release from the hospital and instead commended ASP Mateo Carillo for conducting the photo array procedure in which Vivian identified Nah as her attacker. Vashti Belisle also reflected on the bravery shown by her sister Vivian, whose statement to police became one of the most critical pieces of evidence in the case before she later died from her injuries.
Vasthi Belisle, Sister of Vivian Belisle (Deceased): “Vivian never lost her mental faculties and you know that was our greatest fear that knowing that she, well she didn’t name him but she described him and identified him and you know if he had gotten away with that you know I don’t know how we would have taken that because at the end of the day a child is left without a mother and father. I’m proud of my sister. I’m very proud of her. She was fearless, she was brave you know. And to God be the glory. Vivian was an honest witness and Vivian has no reason to lie. Vivian was always a principled woman. I am always amazed she has always been a good influence to me in my life, I’ve only known her to be a woman of good principles and integrity.”
And while welcoming the guilty verdict, Belisle says the pain and trauma left behind by the triple murder continues to weigh heavily on the family more than three years later. He noted that the child left behind by Vivian and David has shown great resilience and has the full support of family.
Vasthi Belisle, Sister of Vivian Belisle (Deceased): “She’s a resilient child, a very brave and strong little girl and honestly she gives us reason to continue on and keep pushing. She’s doing well. I think of it like a scab, you know every time you pick at it it’s like a fresh wound. So every time we have to come back to court it’s like reopening all those wounds again. It’s been hard but thank God for a supportive funding. We come from a very, very big Christian family and honestly it’s prayers and the love from our family that has kept us going. And so we give thanks to the Pascacios and the Belisles.”
Today’s judgment followed a trial that officially began on June 18, 2025. The deadly shooting occurred on December 31, 2022 at the Ramnarace family home in Belmopan, located only a short walking distance from Nah’s residence on Masam Street. Nah’s sentencing has been scheduled for June 18.
English (US) ·