Twenty-six-year-old Jaylil Usher, who was previously charged in connection with the 2023 murder of San Pedro resident Kean Jamaal Quiros, entered into a plea agreement with the Crown on June 15th, pleading guilty to abetment to murder. Usher, a former resident of the San Mateo Subdivision, appeared before Justice Nigel Pilgrim in the High Court in Belize City, where he admitted to facilitating the murder of Quiros. Quiros, who was 19 years old at the time of his death, was fatally shot on August 11, 2023, after a gunman allegedly lured him to the front door of his home. The murder case remained under investigation for more than a year before Usher was formally charged on November 29, 2024.
Under the plea agreement finalized with prosecutors, Usher pleaded guilty to abetment to murder, acknowledging that he played a role in making the weapon used in the crime available. Following his guilty plea, Justice Pilgrim scheduled sentencing for June 26th, when mitigation submissions will be heard on Usher’s behalf.
According to reports, the fatal shooting occurred at approximately 2:45AM while Quiros was inside his residence. An individual outside reportedly shouted, “Police!” prompting Quiros to open the front door. Police said he was then shot multiple times, sustaining fatal injuries. He was transported to the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Usher was already known to the police on the island. On September 6, 2023, he was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. The weapon, which resembled an AK-47 rifle with a wooden stock, was discovered at his residence in San Mateo during a police search for weapons, drugs, and ammunition.
According to reports from the National Forensic Science Service Laboratory, forensic testing later established a direct link between the rifle and Quiros’ murder. Prosecutors subsequently alleged that Usher facilitated the crime by making the firearm available to the gunman, who has not been publicly identified.
Following the court hearing, Usher was remanded to the Kolbe Foundation-Belize Central Prison, where he will remain until his sentencing later this month.