BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 13, 2020– Valentine Baptist, 30, who was convicted of the murder of Devin Parham, 19, was given a fixed sentence today by Justice Colin Williams. Baptist was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with the sentence to take effect from December 11, 2019, when he was found guilty.

Justice Williams subtracted 3 years and 5 months from the sentence, which is the time Baptist has spent on remand, so Baptist will serve 26 years and 7 months.

Parham, who resided on Curassow Street, was shot and killed about 4:00 p.m. on July 6, 2016. He and his cousin, Victor Parham, were walking on Cemetery Road near First Choice Pharmacy when Baptist rode by on a bicycle and opened fire.

Victor ran, while Devin, who was the target, was shot multiple times. Shortly after the shooting, police apprehended Baptist and retrieved a Glock 9 millimeter pistol that they saw him throw into a yard on Dean Street.

There were no eyewitnesses to the shooting, and Baptist, in the trial that was without a jury, was convicted purely on circumstantial evidence. Ballistic evidence showed that the expended shells that were found at the scene matched the gun Baptist had thrown in the yard.

Before he decided on the sentence, Justice Williams heard two impact statements from Devin Parham’s mother and his sister, which were read by Senior Crown Counsel Shanice Lovell.

The only mitigating factor was that Baptist, who was represented by Senior Counsel Simeon Sampson, did not resist the police when he was apprehended.

Feature photo: Valentine Baptist