Family and friends continue to fight for the freedom of 33-year-old San Pedro resident William Godoy, who was charged for the murder of Alfredo Cowo. On, Wednesday, October 10th the fifth court hearing took place inside the courtroom in San Pedro Town. However, due to the Magistrate not being provided with a copy of the disclosure document by the San Pedro Police Department, the case was adjourned to Thursday, October 25th.
Godoy, a mechanic from the DFC area of San Pedro Town, was formally arrested and charged on Friday, January 19th for the murder of Alfredo Cowo. Cowo was shot and killed shortly after midnight on Tuesday, January 16th near Central Park in San Pedro Town. He was reportedly sitting on a golf cart along with his girlfriend, Paola Reyes, when a gunman approached them and fired several shots, fatally injuring Cowo. Initially, Reyes stated that she could not identify the shooter, but on Friday, January 19th during an identification parade, she told the San Pedro Police that Godoy was the shooter. Godoy was then charged for the murder of Cowo because the main witness identified him.
Godoy’s Attorney Oscar Selgado told The San Pedro Sun they are fighting for the charges of murder to be withdrawn, as there is not enough evidence to demonstrate that he is responsible for Cowo’s murder. He stated that the main witness, Cowo’s girlfriend Reyes, has left the country and that in fact, there is no registration of her departure at the office of immigration. “I checked with the immigration, and they have never registered a Paola Reyes in the country, which means that it could not even be her real name. I believe she left because she knew that Godoy was not the person responsible for the murder of Cowo,” he said. Selgado also added that they have received a copy of text messages from one of Godoy friends, which shows that she and he were messaging via Facebook between 12AM and 12:23AM on that morning of Tuesday, January 16th. In the conversation, Godoy was asking his friend to accompany him to the casino located north of the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge. She declined the offer due to the late hour and the conversation ended and Godoy reportedly went to sleep. “It was around that same time that Cowo was being shot near the Central Park, so there’s no way it could have been Godoy,” said Selgado. He further stated that they have also received the surveillance footage of the businesses on Barrier Reef Drive and Central Park, and as well as other footage from Buccaneer Street that show how the suspect walks towards the park and then runs away from the crime scene minutes after the shooting. “The surveillance footage clearly shows that Godoy is not the murderer but rather a tall clear skinned person with a long beard, who was wearing a warm cap and a hoodie is the culprit,” he said. “We have enough evidence for Godoy to be freed.”
Godoy’s brother Jose is positive that with the evidence they have been able to gather these past months, his brother will be free by the next court hearing. “I am confident that he will be free because the evidence we have clearly show that he didn’t kill Cowo,” he said. “My brother has been kept in prison all these past months unjustifiably.”
Family members of Godoy are confident and hoping that after the next court hearing on Thursday, October 25th, the murder charges against him will be withdrawn and he will be free from prison.
