As we reported, 23 year-old Cassian Bennett and his stepfather, 30 year-old Jermaine "Horse" Garnett 35 year-old Kenneth Barrow were all charged with the murder of 19 year-old Raheem Requena, which occurred on December 19, 2012.

There was a witness who told police that these men were the shooters, and several days later, she told police that Garnett and her son Vernon tried to pay her $5,000 to withdraw her statement. When that didn't work, she said that these 2 sent a message saying that they had placed a $20,000 price on her head, and that when the witness was killed, the men would walk free.

As a result, police arrested and charged both of them attempting to suppress evidence. Vernon was additionally charged with using violence against a witness, and they were remanded to prison.

Garnett later applied to the Supreme Court and was granted bail, and as a result, the witness fled to the US believing that her life was in danger. She was detained at the US Border, where she told them that she was in danger, and the US authorities contacted the Belizean officer in charge the investigation.

Because of this the prosecution was forced to begin the trial without this witness being in Belize to testify that Garnett and Vernon did indeed try to coerce her to withdraw her statement. The case continued today, and the prosecution was forced to inform the court that the witness did not show up to testify against them, and they requested an adjournment.

The court did not grant that adjournment today, and because police did not record a statement from the witness, the prosecution could not provide any evidence to convince the Chief Magistrate that they should be granted one.