By Breaking Belize News Staff: The murder case against 35-year-old Frederick Wagner, who is accused of setting his common-law wife on fire, was adjourned again this week after the court was informed that the case file is still not ready.
Wagner, who remains unrepresented, appeared before the Chief Magistrate in Court #1 at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday evening.
The Police Prosecutor informed the court that there was still no case file available in the matter. The Chief Magistrate noted that Wagner’s case has been before the court since December 2025 and ordered that police provide an update to the court by Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
Wagner was further remanded and is scheduled to return to court on July 21, 2026, when a Preliminary Inquiry is expected to be held.
Wagner was first arraigned for murder on December 10, 2025, following the death of 61-year-old Dawn Bernard. Bernard had reportedly suffered serious burn injuries and later succumbed.
A post-mortem examination conducted on November 24, 2025, certified Bernard’s cause of death as acute pulmonary edema with pulmonary thromboembolism due to coma and thermal injuries.
According to police reports, on November 10, 2025, officers from the Gender-Based Violence Response and Investigation Unit responded to a report at #8 Lakeview Street, Belize City. When police arrived, they were informed that a woman had been burned and transported by ambulance to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
At the hospital, police observed that Bernard had burn injuries to her face, shoulders, chest, back and hands. Police say that when they asked Bernard what had happened, she allegedly told them, “Da meh man do meh this.”
Police further allege that Bernard identified Wagner as the person who sprayed rubbing alcohol on her face and lit her on fire with a lighter. Police say she also identified him as her boyfriend and said he lived with her at the Lakeview Street address.
Wagner was initially arraigned on November 14, 2025, on charges including attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm. Following Bernard’s death, the charge was later upgraded to murder.
Police also reported that Wagner was detained after he was observed with burn injuries to the outer part of his right hand.
The post Murder case against Frederick Wagner adjourned again as case file remains outstanding appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: The murder case against 35-year-old Frederick Wagner, who is accused of setting his common-law wife on fire, was adjourned again this week after the court was informed that the case file is still not ready. Wagner, who remains unrepresented, appeared before the Chief Magistrate in Court #1 at the Belize
The post Murder case against Frederick Wagner adjourned again as case file remains outstanding appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
