by Roy Davis (freelance writer)
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 10, 2024
In a ruling she gave on Tuesday, April 9, Justice Candace Nanton rejected the alleged utterance of Richard Bennett, 26, who is charged with double murder. Police claimed that he took responsibility for the murders after he was shown a video footage.
According to the police, Bennett said, “That’s me; I f__ed up”, pointing to the person that was shown on the video footage.
At the voire dire that was held on Monday, April 8, two police officers, Inspector Isaias Sanchez and Constable Caio, testified that Bennett made the utterance on March 18, 2021, the day after the incident. But they admitted that a Justice of the Peace or any attorney representing Bennett was not present when the utterance was made. They also admitted that they did not make any contemporaneous statement when the utterance was made.
Bennett testified at the voire dire and denied that he made the utterance.
The incident occurred on March 17, 2021, at a house on Logwood Street.
The police reported that a man entered the house of Cynthia Conorquie, 49, and shot her and Allen Garcia, 21, killing both of them.
The Crown is being represented by Senior Crown Counsel Portia Ferguson, while Bennett is being represented by attorney Leeroy Banner.