Little is publicly recorded about the early life of Kent Bowers, who was born in Belize around 1966 or 1967. At the time of the crime, Bowers was 17 years old, and reportedly living in or around Belize City, the capital and largest urban center in the country. No formal education history or family background has been widely reported, and unlike many criminal cases, there was little media coverage of his upbringing or personal lif

On the evening of 4 July 1984, a private celebration was underway at a restaurant in Belize City, hosted by Francis and Dora Codd in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary. The gathering included close friends and family, and was intended as a peaceful and festive occasion. According to witness testimony presented later in court, Kent Bowers, then 17 years old, entered the restaurant uninvited during the event.

When asked to leave, Bowers was escorted to the door by the Codds’ son, Robert Codd, who attempted to remove him from the premises without incident. However, once outside, an altercation broke out between Bowers and Codd. The details of what exactly provoked the fight remain unclear, but witnesses testified that a struggle ensued. During the confrontation, Bowers produced a knife and stabbed Robert Codd multiple times.

The attack proved fatal. Robert Codd died within minutes, succumbing to the wounds before medical help could arrive. The crime shocked the community, not only because of its brutality but also due to the public setting and the victim’s role in trying to maintain peace.

Bowers was arrested shortly after the incident and charged with murder. His trial began soon thereafter, and on 23 October 1984, he was convicted and given the mandatory death sentence of hanging, which was the prescribed punishment for murder under Belizean law at the time.

Bowers appealed his conviction to the Court of Appeal of Belize, but the appellate court rejected his arguments, upholding the original judgment. He then submitted a petition for clemency, which was reviewed by the office of the Governor General, then Dame Elmira Minita Gordon, the first and only woman to serve in that role in Belizean history. The petition was denied, sealing Bowers’s fate.

On 19 June 1985, less than one year after the crime, Kent Bowers was executed by hanging at Her Majesty’s Prison on Goal Lane in Belize City.