Two Convicted of Murder, Despite That Main Witness Disappeared

Two men who were on trial for murder were found guilty of the crime today, despite the fact that one of the Crown’s main witnesses strangely disappeared just after he had given testimony in the trial. His body was later discovered in a shallow grave in Belize District. The trial of Eric Miranda and Jeffery Contreras ended today after they were found guilty of the murder of Bowen and Bowen Manager, Sean Menzies. While another Crown witness recanted his 2018 statement when he took the stand, it did not break the Crown’s case because there were still other credible witnesses to rely on. News Five’s Marion Ali has a report on the verdict, which was delivered in a fifty-three-page judgment this afternoon by Supreme Court Judge, Ricardo O’Neil Sandcroft.

Sean Menzies

Marion Ali, Reporting

Eric Miranda and Jeffery Contreras are guilty of the murder of Bowen and Bowen Manager, fifty-seven-year-old Sean Menzies. Menzies was smoking a cigarette outside of his house on Lancaster Street in Belize City when he was shot dead on November eighteenth, 2018.

Iran “Bosco” Jones

In the subsequent trial over his murder, one of the main witnesses, Iran “Bosco” Jones disappeared and was later discovered murdered and buried in a shallow grave in Biscayne Village in June. He had received death threats after he gave testimony in the trial for the prosecution. His mother had told News Five that Jones felt that he was going to be killed.

Sherlene Gonzalez

Sherlene Gonzalez, Mother of Iran “Basco” Jones  (Jun 29, 2023)

“They don’t have no witness protection, Marion. That’s just a joke. That’s the joke of the day. No witness protection dehn nuh have. I thought so until… With the case, that’s the one that he mentioned that he was fearing for his life. After the case was over, he said, Mommy, I won’t live to see my child. He said, please make sure that you help my girlfriend in any way possible, because he know it.”

While the trial was ongoing, prosecutors had also staged a sick-out in direct response to threats that were received in carrying out their duties. The prosecutor in this case was one of those who had also received threats. Incidentally, another witness had changed his story when he took the witness stand, but during the handing down of the verdict, Justice Ricardo O’Neil Sandcroft made it known that there was sufficient evidence from the other remaining witnesses to rely on. “I am satisfied that the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that both of you killed Menzies, hence why I find you both guilty of murder,” Sandcroft said when he addressed the two convicts today. And although he was murdered, Jones’ testimony helped to seal today’s guilty verdict.

Jones, in his testimony, told the court that he saw the two fleeing suspects, Miranda and Contreras where one of them was seen handing back what appeared to be a gun to the other, before running off from the scene of the murder. He identified the two fleeing men as persons he knew by aliases: Soldie or Blacker, and the other as Belli. Justice Sandcroft found that identification was an important factor in the trial against the men, and one that he looked at carefully. In his view, all parties referring to Jones, Miranda and Contreras all knew each other well. Miranda and Contreras were represented by attorneys Darrell Bradley and Arthur Saldivar, but neither of them was present in court today. However, attorney Kimberly Wallace of Lavender Chambers substituted for the attorneys. Justice Sandcroft has reserved sentencing upon Contreras and Miranda for December seventh. Marion Ali for News Five.