Back in January of 2016, the Cayo murder of 37-year-old Matthew Klinck, a Canadian filmmaker who resided in Belize, made major headlines. Well, after being on remand for almost 4 years, 22-year-old Brandon Anderson, and another male who was only 16-year-old at the time are free tonight. They were acquitted in the Belmopan courtroom of Justice Antoinette Moore.
Klinck, the murder victim, became well known in Belize for the 2012 movie, "Curse of the Xtabai", which was a full-length Kriol language movie.
It is believed that Klinck was killed sometime between January 2nd and January 4th of 2016. His decomposing body was found at his residence, which is located in Selena Village, which is just outside of Spanish Lookout in the Cayo District. Someone stabbed him as many of 16 times, and his assailant or assailants left him for dead inside his yard. Robbery was believed to be the motive of his killing, and the authorities believed that his assailants robbed him of over $4,000.
The main evidence against his accused killers, Anderson, and his co-defendant, was a confession statement that police say he gave them.
Well, in the trial without jury before Justice Moore, Anderson's attorney, Leeroy Banner, challenged the validity of that statement. He said that the police did not follow proper procedures by making a video recording of it. Anderson and his attorney also claimed that the police promised that if he gave a statement, they would release his siblings, who were also being detained.
After consideration, Justice Moore refused to accept the caution statement into evidence, and so, Crown Counsel Natasha Muhammad had to rely on money that was found at Anderson's home. They say that this was money he stole from Klinck.
But, once again, Justice Moore found that this money, exhibited as evidence, was not enough to warrant a conviction for murder.
As a result, Leeroy Banner, and Ronell Gonzalez, the attorney representing the minor, made no-case submissions on their behalf. After consideration, Justice Moore agreed and found them both not guilty. They were free to leave.
Of important note is that the Crown would have had a case for the minor to answer. The cops found fingerprints matching his that was found inside a pair of gloves; those gloves were discovered under Klink's house. But, the police dropped the ball because when they processed the him for this case and treated him like an adult.
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