Judge Recuses Himself from Trial of Man Accused of Killing His Family

Jared Ranguy

The case of thirty-six-year-old Jared Ranguy, accused of killing his mother, sister, and stepfather, took an interesting turn today when the trial judge announced that he has decided to recuse himself from the case. The announcement by Justice Ricardo O’Neill Sandcroft followed a sequence of uncertainties when attorneys who were assigned to the case also recused themselves after Ranguy himself had fired Orson “O.J” Elrington at the start of the week. Another attorney that was assigned, Leslie Hamilton, informed the court that he could not take on the case because he is a neighbor and good friend to the son of one of the deceased persons. Ranguy then got Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith from the Marine Parade Chambers. But Smith indicated he needed three months in order to review the case and prepare his defense. Justice Sandcroft refused to grant the three-month period and was initially allotting one month for the defense to prepare. But Attorney Hector Guerra of Smith’s office, who represented Godfrey Smith in court, said that if they are not given the three months to prepare their case, Ranguy would likely not be able to get another attorney to represent him. And when the judge heard from Ranguy, he begged the court to allow Godfrey Smith to defend him and to allow for the three-month request. Ranguy told the judge none of the other previous appointed attorneys had shown any interest in his case. The judge allowed for the three months but later announced that he would remove himself from the case. The judge gave a reason for his decision saying, (quote): “I am not comfortable with how things have played out, (unquote)” Meanwhile, Ranguy, who was placed on suicide watch on Monday, when his behaviour changed, is back in the main area of the prison after he was evaluated.  The case was adjourned for June 26, 2023. Ranguy is accused of killing his mother, Karen Skeen-Vellos, his sister, Teena Skeen, and his stepfather, Richard Vellos on Sunday. November twenty-fifth, 2012.