7 News Belize

The Alleged Cliff Kirk Killers Get Free
posted (April 24, 2019)
They were accused of the cold blooded killing of a US citizen on the north end of Ambergris Caye - but, tonight, two San Pedro men and a minor are free after their attorney convinced the magistrate that they had no case to answer.

According to the San Pedro Sun, Christian Espat, Nigel Williams and the minor, were set free in San Pedro Magistrate's Court today - and went into the arms of their loved ones who were waiting in the courtroom.

The trio was accused of killing retired American National Cliff Kirk in July of 2018. The US Army Veteran was shot in the head at his home on Northern Ambergris Caye on Thursday morning by four men who stole firearms, a briefcase and a jet ski. He was a retired Lt. Colonel who lived on San Pedro for many years. He and his wife, Linda - also an army veteran - had built a self sustainable house 10 and a half miles north of San Pedro Town - on the west of the island - a remote location that could only be reached by watercraft. The gunmen reportedly pulled up on jet ski's and accosted Kirk as he walked down the stairs.

Today, according to the Sun, their attorney Dickie Bradley convinced San Pedro Magistrate Deborah Rogers that there was no concrete evidence against the accused. He argued that the physical description of the suspects given by the eyewitnesses did not match the suspects. He also noted that the killers were masked - so no proper ID could be made. And he noted an inconsistency with the death certificate for Kirk - who died in a US hospital. The Sun reports that Magistrate Rogers concluded that the information from the prosecution was very poor and based on that evidence, she dismissed the case, and the trio was set free.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize