 |
Almendarez, deceased.
|
 |
Austin Mungia.
|
 |
Bernard Williams.
|
 |
Luis Lalin.
|
 |
Shondoy Jeffords.
|
Twenty-year-old Bernard Williams, nineteen-year-old Austin Mungia and twenty-six-year-old Luis Lalin walked out of court as free men. The charges brought against the trio in 2005 for the alleged murder of Antonio Hernandez, Fido’s security of San Pedro that occurred on July 26th. The three men were on remand for almost two and a half years and walked out of the Supreme Court on Friday, November 21st in Belize City as free men.
According to reports, the case collapsed when the main witness against the trio became the main suspect. Twenty-year-old Shandoy Jeffords originally confessed in August of 2005 to the police that he was not even in San Pedro the night the murder took place. He later changed his story and told police that he was there the night of the murder and allegedly saw Almendarez struggling with Mungia, Lalin, and Williams. Jeffords claimed Mungia beat Almendarez in the head with a crow bar and that was what killed him. The defendants were never told about Jeffords confession. Add that to inconsistencies in his testimony, such as the cause of death which he claims was a blow to the head, but the post mortem revealed Almendarez died of strangulation which proved that Jeffords’ statement was not consistent.
Justice Adolph Lucas dismissed the men after he was informed that the key witness was not coming forward. The men were also freed of charges of Burglary and Robbery. According to a report to the cops, four men committed the crime, two of them allegedly kept Almendarez occupied while the other two went to the back of the compound where Almendarez was employed. He was struck on the back of the head with a crowbar and became unconscious and was gagged, handcuffed, and his feet were taped by his killers. The assailants moved to the second floor of the building where they found the safe. They managed to pry it open with the crowbar, and escaped with a cash tray containing $6,000 in $50 and $100 US bills and close to $3,000 in Belizean currency. At the scene, police discovered Almendarez’s body lying face down on the ground.
On Friday morning, Crown Counsel Nadine Palacio entered a nolle pros motion. Austin Mungia and Luis Lalin were represented in court by Attorney Dickie Bradley whilst Bernard Williams was represented by Attorney Arthur Saldivar. It is uncertain as of press time if Shondoy Jeffords of a Freedom Street Address in Belize City will appear in court to testify for his role in the killing.
|
