Man Accused of Double Murder Acquitted

Belize City resident Richard Bennett is tonight a freeman. He was acquitted of the murders of Cynthia Conorquie and Allen Garcia. They were fatally shot while at Conorquie’s residence on Logwood Street in Belize City in March 2021. Bennett was set free after the judge upheld his attorney’s no-case submission. At the start of the trial, a voir dire was held, and it was ruled that an oral confession was inadmissible due to procedural irregularities. There was no Justice of the Peace present, nor was the proceeding recorded, leading the judge to conclude that it did not qualify as an interview. Despite the Crown’s presentation of eleven witnesses and video footage allegedly showing the shooter, both pieces of evidence were deemed inadmissible. Bennett was represented by attorney Leroy Banner.