by Roy Davis (freelance reporter)

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. May 18, 2023

In a verdict he delivered today, Justice Ricardo Sandcroft found Allen Felix, 45, not guilty of the murder of Mario Guerrero, Sr., 69, a boat builder of Sunset Park at Mile 8 on the George Price Highway. Guerrero was beaten to death with a barstool on March 26, 2018, and his bludgeoned body was found at his home.

Apparently, Guerrero was socializing with people who he thought were his friends, and he took them to his house, not realizing that they wanted his money.

Justice Sandcroft said that he has been through the whole aspect of the circumstantial evidence adduced by the Crown, and he was not satisfied that the Crown had discharged its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt at the trial which ended on April 16, 2023. He said that a written judgement will be issued in a month’s time.

At the trial, which ended on April 16, the Crown, represented by Crown Counsel Portia Ferguson, had relied on the testimony of police inspector Lemus who testified to what he saw in video footage that was obtained from a surveillance camera at Guerrero’s home. The original compact disc with the footage was not available and a copy of it was used, which was not accepted into evidence.

Felix was represented by attorney Oscar Selgado.