One of two suspects accused of a triple murder walked free today after being acquitted due to a lack of evidence. He is twenty-three-year-old Shawn Flores, who stood trial for the murder of Alarice Andrewin, Vidal Yuman and Maria Juarez. All three individuals were bound and shot during a home invasion at mile ten on the George Price Highway in June 2019. Subsequently, then nineteen-year-old Kyle Zetina was charged for the crime after video footage placed him at the scene and, then eighteen-year-old Shawn Flores was jointly charged. However, in the case of Flores, there was no evidence linking him to the crime other than his caution statement, which his defense claims was beaten out of him by police. With no other evidence to link him to the murder, Flores was acquitted this morning. Unlike his co-accused, the crown has presented substantial evidence to be admissible in the trial against Zetina. His trial will continue July fifteenth, 2024.
Category: Trials
Earl Baptist is Found Guilty of Murder
A long, violent dispute that resulted in the shooting death of thirty-seven-year-old Leslie Gillett in January 2022, was decided upon in the High Court this morning. Earl Baptist, a resident of Police Street, who stood trial for the murder of the Burrell Boom businessman, has been found guilty. He appeared before Justice Derick Sylvester and gave an unsupported alibi, telling the court that on the evening of the deadly shooting he was with his father and common-law wife at the Northern Fishermen‘s Cooperative. Despite providing the court with an explanation of his whereabouts, Baptist did not call on anyone to testify on his behalf. As we’ve reported, Gillett, otherwise known as Dimes, was gunned down by a pair of men who entered Matilda’s Shop on the night of January twenty-first, 2022. The men were there to exact revenge for a murder that took place in the village two years earlier. After pretending to make a purchase, the gunmen fired multiple shots at Gillett, who died at the scene of the shooting. During the subsequent trial, Sergeant Rollington Fuller testified that shortly after the shooting, he was invited to view the surveillance footage that was retrieved from cameras mounted inside the shop. Under oath, the police officer told the court that, from the video, he saw a Hispanic male with a white shirt and a camouflage facemask. Moments later, he saw two males approaching the shop. One of them was seen wearing a black face mask, with black stockings, and dreadlocks covering it. While Fuller was unable to determine the identity of the second person, he was able to positively identify Baptist. July fifteenth has been set as the date for mitigation pleas to be heard on Baptist’s behalf.
Denver Bevans Walks Free from Fireman’s Murder
While a conviction was secured in the High Court this morning, a murder suspect also managed to walk away from a charge that was brought against him in November 2019. Denver Bevans was accused of the shooting death of a Belize City fireman who was ambushed and executed while walking along Welch Street. The first person to respond to the scene of the deadly shooting was Corporal Briceño Chub, an off-duty police officer, who was returning from a nearby shop. After hearing what sounded like gunshots, he saw someone running. He later identified that individual as eighteen-year-old Denver Bevans. In trial, Corporal Chub told the court that when he initially saw Bevans, he was seventy-five feet away, but when he saw him with the firearm which he held up before scaling a fence, he was only fifteen feet away. Nonetheless, when Chub testified to seeing the suspect at Rogers Stadium after he was detained by police and placed in the back of a pickup truck, he only saw the top of the individual’s head. In court, Chub was unable to identify the man seen running in the footage to be the same person detained by police. This and other factors, including the absence of a D.N.A. test to determine the blood found on Bevans’ shirt, led the court to find Bevans not guilty of murder.
Two Men Sentenced for 2019 Victor L. Bryant Burglary
Two men have been sentenced to prison for the 2019 burglary and gun heist at Victor L. Bryant on Independence Boulevard. Randy Chambers has been handed a sentence of eight years and six months for burglary, and six years and six months for kept firearm without a gun license. His partner in crime, Selvin Linares got seven years and seven months for burglary and five years and three months for kept firearm without a gun license. Both sentences are to run concurrently so they will serve the larger prison term of eight and seven years, respectively. Late Tuesday evening, after the court heard a mitigation plea on both men’s behalf, the Senior Magistrate handed down the sentence. On Thursday, June thirteenth, Chambers was found guilty of eight counts of firearm offenses and guilty of burglarizing Victor L. Bryant. On Thursday, July twenty-seventh, 2023, Linares pleaded guilty to the burglary, but not guilty to the firearm offenses. Nonetheless, he was found guilty of five counts of kept firearm without a gun license. During the mitigation plea hearing, Chambers asked the court to consider the two programs he had completed whilst at the prison, while Linares asked for mercy and for the court to consider the fact that he too had completed the Freedom for Journey course.
An Arrest is Made in Stanley Moore’s Murder
Twenty-four- year-old Marquis Anthony Conorquie has been arraigned and remanded to the Belize Central Prison for the murder of thirty-two-year-old Stanley Moore and the attempted murder of twenty-seven-year-old Joshua Gillett. As we reported, on Sunday evening, Moore and Gillett were traveling in a B.M.W. from the direction of Central American Boulevard towards Oleander Street when two men on a motorcycle rode up beside the car. One man on the motorcycle pointed a firearm at the B.M.W. and opened fire. The two men on the motorcycle then drove off towards the direction of Amandala Drive and made good their escape. A wounded Gillett drove himself and Moore to the K.H.M.H. When police arrived at the hospital, Moore was found dead inside the passenger seat of the car, while Gillett was being treated in emergency. Two days after the shooting, police have arrested and charged Marquis Conorque. He was taken to court and read four charges, including murder, attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. In court, no plea was taken from Conorquie and, due to the nature of the offenses, bail was denied. He was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until August twenty-sixth. According to police, the main suspect, a twenty-six-year-old man from the Saint Martin De Porres area, remains at large. Conorquie was presently out on bail for robbery. That trial is ongoing.
Second Suspect Charged For “Bobo Youth” Murder, 2 Months Later
Rudolph “Bobo Youth” Lewis was murdered on March twenty-second. Tonight, a second suspect is behind bars in connection with his shooting death. Twenty-one-year-old Robert Arnold was brought before the Magistrates Court where he was read a single charge of murder. Arnold is now charged jointly with twenty-two-year-old Travis Herbert who was first arraigned on May sixth. In court today, Arnold was unrepresented and due to the nature of the offense, he was denied bail and remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until July fifth. That is also the date that Herbert will appear in court for a second time since being arraigned for murder. As we reported, on March twenty-second, Lewis was riding his motorcycle from the direction of Elston Kerr Street towards Central American Boulevard when two male persons on a motorcycle came from behind him and fired several shots in his direction. Lewis later succumbed to the injuries he sustained, while being treated at the K.H.M.H. The murder scene was visited by Scenes of Crime Personnel, where expended shells were recovered from the scene, along with a green Lifan motorcycle. Police also viewed several video surveillance footages in the immediate area and footage was retrieved as evidence. Witness statements positively identified Travis Herbert as one of the men riding on the motorcycle from which the gunshots were fired.
Man Accused of Killing Retired U.S Army Soldier to Undergo Psych Evaluation
A psychiatric evaluation has been ordered for thirty-three-year-old Aban Grant; the man accused of stabbing sixty-seven-year-old retired U.S. Army soldier Griffith Cadle to death. As we reported, Grant allegedly stabbed Cadle on Saint Joseph Street near its intersection with Nurse Seay Street, while both men were socializing on the night of June thirteenth. Police later discovered the murder weapon inside a drain not too far from where the incident occurred. And, based on information received, they found the suspect, Aban Grant, hiding inside a building on Baymen Avenue. Authorities also found the clothing he was wearing at the time of the incident. Today, he was arraigned on one count of manslaughter. But it was not until his charge was read that the magistrate found out that Grant’s mental state was a topic of discussion. Grant’s sister told the court that he was never known to be a mental patient until after he went to prison where she claims he was diagnosed with a mental disorder. His cousin, who was also present in court, has been taken twice before to see a doctor. However, the sitting magistrate noted that there were no official documents to say what is the mental state of Grant. So, a psychiatric evaluation was ordered. The magistrate explained that for the court to get an evaluation on Grant, he must be remanded to the Belize Central Prison for a psychosis analysis from a doctor. The evaluation usually takes about six to eight weeks. Grant was unrepresented in court.
Three More Men are Charged for Gang Involvement
The Belize Police Department has brought charges against a trio of men for their alleged involvement in gang activity. Earlier today, forty-four-year-old Ian Arthurs, a resident of Rivero Street was charged with being a member of a gang. Also charged were twenty-four-year-old Kenroy Linares and twenty-four-year-old Eric Thompson.
These individuals are the latest to be arraigned for being members of a gang. On Thursday, thirty-one-year-old Austin Underwood and forty-eight-year-old Doris Grant were also arraigned on a similar offense. As we reported, the couple came under gunfire on Sunday morning while driving home from a concert even here in Belize City. Underwood and Grant were both injured in the shooting. They were treated and released before being arrested and charged.
Police Inspector to Stand Trial for Abusing Detainee
Inspector of Police Christopher Martinez appeared before the Chief Magistrate today in a sensational case where the law enforcement officer is accused of physical abusing an individual who was in detention at the Raccoon Street Police Station. Aaron Flowers, a businessman, was inside a holding cell when he was reportedly struck over the head with a padlock. It is alleged that Inspector Martinez inflicted the injury on Flowers when he discovered that Flowers was the person who allegedly opened fire at his residence with a firearm. In court today, Flowers said that he has been harassed repeatedly and offered bribes by fellow police officers to drop the charges against Martinez. His attorney sought clarification of the sentencing indication should the officer plead guilty. The Chief Magistrate, who has set the matter for trial indicated, that her range of sentence will be guided by the law. Martinez is looking at possible jail time due to the nature of the offense. The Chief Magistrate also made it clear that she would be imposing a custodial sentence. With that, Martinez rejected the court offer and a date for trial was agreed upon. Of note is that Martinez’s attorney, Andrew Bennett, has since recused himself from the matter, leaving the police officer unrepresented.
Murder Trial against Earl Baptist Concludes in High Court
A murder trial involving twenty-three-year-old Earl Baptist as a prime suspect in the shooting death of Burrell Boom businessman Leslie Gillett has concluded in the High Court. Baptist is one of two men who allegedly entered Matilda’s Shop and executed Gillett in January 2022. A second suspect was never identified. Tonight, Baptist remains at the Belize Central Prison after appearing before Justice Derick Sylvester earlier today. The crown is relying on testimonies from Sergeant Santiago Perez, the police officer who retrieved the surveillance footage that captured Gillett’s murder, and Sergeant Rollington Fuller who positively identified Baptist as one of two shooters seen at Matilda’s Shop on the night in question. However, attorney Leeroy Banner is challenging the crown’s evidence, submitting that footage of the individual that Fuller claims to be Earl Baptist is not clear for anyone to identify with a degree of certainty. Justice Sylvester has reserved his ruling for June twenty-seventh.