_{Photo: Albert Jones, Sr., pleads guilty to manslaughter}

by Roy Davis (freelance writer)

BELIZE CITY, Tues. Apr. 30, 2024

Hattieville fisherman, Albert Jones, Sr., 50, who was charged with the murder of auto mechanic Alaine Garcia, 35, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter when he appeared today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim.

Before he decided to enter the guilty plea, Jones asked Justice Pilgrim for a sentence indication. Justice Pilgrim told him that based on his mental health and his confession, the maximum sentence would be 8 years. Jones’ attorney, Marcel Cardona Cervantes, then said that the maximum sentence could be reduced by mitigation.

Jones has been on remand for about 6 years.

Before he accepted Jones’ guilty plea, Justice Pilgrim asked Jones if he was making the plea voluntarily, and if he understood what was the sentence indication. Jones answered in the affirmative, and his plea was accepted.

After conferring with Cardona Cervantes and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lynn Vidal, who represented the Crown, Justice Pilgrim set Monday, May 13, as the date for sentencing.

Garcia, a resident of Hattieville, went missing on February 20, 2018. Although his body was never found, he was believed to have been a victim of foul play.

On May 8, 2018, Jones made an oral utterance to sergeant Letticia Moguel, sergeant Lydia Kerr and Senior Superintendent Alejandro Cowo. He told Moguel and Kerr that he had killed Garcia. He said that while Garcia was standing on the bank of the river, he sneaked up behind Garcia and chopped him in the back of his head and hand with a machete. He said he took money and a bead chain from Garcia’s pocket, but he could not recall if he pushed Garcia into the river or if Garcia fell in the water. He said he threw the machete in the water.

Jones’ oral admission to Cowo was made after Cowo had plied him with liquor.

On the following day, May 9, 2018, Jones gave a caution statement that was audio and video recorded to corporal Doni Buddan. In the statement he admitted to killing Garcia. He said that he had been suffering from alcoholism and was so depressed that he attempted to throw himself in front of a James bus in Hattieville.

A voire dire (a trial within a trial) was held to determine the admissibility of the oral utterance and the audio and video recording.

At the voire dire, Jones gave a statement from the dock in which he stated that he was depressed and he was suffering from several days of drinking alcohol when he gave the oral utterance to the police officers. He said he attempted to bolster his story by crying.

There were also testimonies from the police officers, the psychiatrist, Dr. Alejandro Matus, and Nurse Bennett.

Dr. Matus and Nurse Bennett testified that Jones was suffering from bouts of mental illness.

At the end of the voire dire, the court rejected the oral utterance to the police officers. Only the audio and video recording by corporal Buddan was accepted and admitted into evidence.