Belize City Man Acquitted of Stepfather’s Murder…

Justin Orillana

A manslaughter trial concluded today in which a step-son was tried for butchering his step-father at their Vernon Street house in March, 2007.  Twenty-five year old Justin Emmanuel Orillana was on trial for a second time, but this time for manslaughter and not murder. That’s because, in September 2012, a jury of twelve found Orillana not guilty of murder, but could not decide on a verdict in respect of the lesser charge and so the judge ordered a retrial. On the fatal night of the stabbing, Orillana allegedly became enraged when he did not get a response from his step-father, Cecil Thompson, about his personal belongings.   The accused left the house and returned brandishing a kitchen knife. Orillana again asked about his belongings and when he did not get an answer, he attacked and stabbed Thompson multiple times. Thompson was discovered in a pool of blood; the knife believed to be the murder weapon was also recovered.  But there were no eyewitnesses to the murder and the only incriminating evidence the prosecution and police relied on was a caution statement dated March twenty-eight from Orillana, who denied that he ever gave one. The statement was recorded by police officer, Jose Zetina, who died by the time the case came to trial. The court, however, admitted Zetina’s evidence as well as the caution statement from Orilliana. Prosecutor, Kileru Awich, called eight witnesses to the stand; Orillana defended himself saying he was in Hattieville at the time of the incident. He was backed up by an alibi. Before noon today a jury of nine persons stepped into the deliberating room to decide his fate and this afternoon the jury found him not guilty, which means that after two trials, Orillana is home free.