On Wednesday, twenty one year old Herman Miranda was sentenced to two years
in jail after he pleaded guilty to keeping ammunition without a license in connection
with the murder of Norman Gillett. Today he was back in court, this time it
was for the more serious crime of murder.
Belize City Police strongly believe that Herman Miranda is one of two gunmen
who shot and killed the wood carver at his residence, the House of Commoners
situated at the corner of Vernon and Partridge Streets. Shortly after the killing,
police found him in proximity to two nine milimeter pistols, one of them with
nine live rounds. That’s the type of weapon that was used to release almost
two dozen shots on the veranda of the Commoners’ residence.
Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie did not take a plea because the offence
is indictable and remanded him to prison. Miranda’s father said his son
is innocent and he believes that Herman Miranda was set up by the killers who
ran through the Lord Ridge Cemetery after the shooting. The father claims his
son was given the guns to hold. Herman Miranda was remanded to Hattieville Prison
until November third.
Norman Gillett who was shot a total of thirteen times was killed on Tuesday
night. Meanwhile, further police investigations reveals that one of the weapons
was stolen from Evan Tench, the owner of Tenchtronics when his business place
was burglarized three years ago.