{"id":83319,"date":"2026-02-23T20:21:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T02:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greaterbelize.com\/?p=83319"},"modified":"2026-02-23T20:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T02:21:12","slug":"barton-creek-escape-turns-deadly-for-young-couple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greaterbelize.com\/barton-creek-escape-turns-deadly-for-young-couple\/","title":{"rendered":"Barton Creek Escape Turns Deadly for Young Couple"},"content":{"rendered":"

What began as a simple Saturday getaway to Barton Creek ended in tragedy, leaving two families searching for answers. Twenty\u2011year\u2011old Manuela Vanegas and twenty\u2011three\u2011year\u2011old Jermaine Jerrington Ingram were returning to Unitedville after an afternoon by the water when gunmen ambushed them, cutting their lives short in an instant. Tonight, heartbreak is giving way to hard questions: Ingram\u2019s loved ones believe he was deliberately targeted, while Vanegas\u2019 family says she was an innocent bystander who never saw danger coming. News Five\u2019s Paul Lopez headed west to speak with both families, here\u2019s what he found.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Paul Lopez, Reporting<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Saturday hangout along Barton Creek ended in tragedy when twenty\u2011year\u2011old Manuela Vanegas and twenty\u2011three\u2011year\u2011old Jerrington Ingram were gunned down on their walk back into Unitedville. The pair had spent the afternoon cooling off by the creek with two others, but about fifteen minutes into their hike home, a gunman waited near the bridge and opened fire, killing them on the spot.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Stacy

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Stacy Smith<\/p><\/div>\n

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPreliminary investigation suggest that the victims may have returned from swimming at a nearby creek when they were accosted. The area was canvassed with a view to identify potential witnesses and to obtain video footage which we hope would be of assistance to the investigation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vanegas\u2019 brother told News Five his sister had only come to Unitedville for a quick visit with her cousin, and in a tragic twist, she and Ingram had only started seeing each other about three weeks ago.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Voice

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Voice of: Brother of Deceased<\/p><\/div>\n

Voice of: Brother of Deceased<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBasically to our understanding when she was coming from around the creek,<\/em> around four to five, they were all coming together, but my cousin left ahead. And it was the gentlemen that died along with her. And to our understanding, after my cousin left, they heard seven gunshots. They ran back, so two bodies on the ground and ran home to call someone for assistance. But that is as much details as we got.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Manuela

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Manuela Vanegas<\/p><\/div>\n

Paul Lopez<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of the relationship between your sister and Mr. Ingram, what was that like?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Voice of: Brother of Deceased<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, first we thought it was a friendship, but my understanding is that they were seeing each other. They were starting out as boyfriend and girlfriend. That is as much as we know. We did know if they were actually together.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Jermaine

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Jermaine Jerrington Ingram<\/p><\/div>\n

Family members say Vanegas met Ingram through her cousin and insist she wasn\u2019t the target, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Meanwhile, talk in the village hints that Ingram\u2019s past may have put him at risk, but his sister rejects that claim, saying men in the area openly threatened to kill him.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Voice

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Voice of: Sister of Deceased<\/p><\/div>\n

Voice of: Sister of Deceased <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHe was and I am certain he was the intended target. The female, his girlfriend, innocent soul got taken away because she was associating with my brother. Jerrington was not a gang member, he was not a problem child. Anybody who knows him personally knows he was a quiet child. But he was the intended target. Threats were made, threats were sent two weeks prior.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jerrington\u2019s sister says a brawl at the community center weeks ago sparked rumors that he was involved, rumors the family denies, but they claim one relative of the men in that fight vowed revenge and named Jerrington as a target, and despite their repeated warnings, police never stepped in.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Voice of: Sister of Deceased <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThese set of kids are being protected by the police. These set of kids are being protected by San Ignacio Police. Whatever bond they have with San Ignacio Police nothing will happen. I am telling you this and you will listen to this how many years. nothing will come out of this. My brother will die, done die, rotten and these boys will kill, kill, kill, because they will walk free. These police don\u2019t listen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Manuela

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Manuela Vanegas<\/p><\/div>\n

Tonight, two families are grieving, one saying their son\u2019s death could have been prevented, and the other mourning a young woman who was killed simply because she was with the wrong person at the wrong time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Voice of: Brother of Deceased<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTo be honest my sister does not have any criminal past. She does not have any type of bad blood with anyone. So, the only thing to our understanding is that it is just somebody else past that came back at them and she was just there at the wrong time. She was quite charismatic, kindhearted, she was outspoken and loved to state her opinions.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The families of Manuela Vanegas and Jermaine Ingram are left with unanswered questions and a deep sense of injustice. Authorities are yet to establish a motive. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.<\/h6>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watch the full newscast here:<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n