Andrew Willoughby Gets Life Imprisonment for the Murder of Eleven-Year-Old Student

Andrew Willoughby

In Belize City, Andrew Willoughby was sentenced to life in prison by Justice Marilyn Williams for the May 2012 murder of Muslim Primary School student, eleven-year-old Daniel Matura, who was shot and killed during a shooting on Central American Boulevard.   Justice Williams ruled that Willoughby will be eligible for parole only after serving twenty-four years imprisonment.  Matura Junior was killed on May twenty-first 2012.  Willoughby was involved in a shooting with a rival gang; he was seen by police officers pulling out a gun and firing shots at well-known criminal figure, Brandon Taylor and another man. He missed the intended targets and caught the young boy, hitting him on the chest and hand.  The primary school student died almost instantly. In the 2018 trial, the crown represented by attorney Rene Montero called twelve witnesses to the stand, but it was the testimony of three police officers that assisted him in sealing a conviction against Willoughby.  The three officers were police constables Eric Reid, Sherla Cocom and George Ferguson. Reid testified that he saw Willoughby fire the shots hitting Matura Junior.  Willoughby gave a dock statement claiming he was at home at the time with his girlfriend and that police picked him up for the shooting.  Justice Marilyn Williams admitted into evidence a caution statement by the accused saying he was beaten up by police and forced to admit to shooting the minor and that he would be allowed to attend the funeral of his brother-in-law.  But in the evidence that unfolded, the funeral of his brother-in-law took place the day before the murder. Justice Williams found it hard to believe him and his statement was used against him placing him at the murder scene.