Suspect found guilty in ’09 triple shooting

Raziel Jeffers was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison Thursday in connection with a triple shooting that caused the death of Marcus Ebanks, left a 14-year-old boy paralysed and wounded another young man.

The incident took place on 8 July, 2009, at a yard near the Bonaventure Boys home in West Bay.

In handing down his ruling, Grand Court Justice Charles Quin recounted the evidence given during the trial, with particular focus on the testimony of two Crown witnesses.

One of the witnesses, Megan Martinez is the mother of the defendant’s child. In her evidence she said she had seen Jeffers with guns on several occasions and that he had shown her a particular gun, which he referred to as “Gramps” because it was “grumpy”. She told the court that Jeffers had shown her an AK-47 assault rifle and other guns over a period of time.

Ms Martinez said, on the night of the murder, Jeffers had come to the place where the couple was staying at the time with another man, who he apparenlty told there was a stash of guns. She said the two spent time talking and smoking behind the home before he said he was leaving with the man to go to the area of George Town known as Scranton to get some “fishing” done. According to Ms Martinez, the term was gang slang for going to hunt your enemies.

Justice Quin said he also was convinced that eyewitness testimony given by Adryan Powell who was left paralysed by the shooting incident. Powell testifyed about seeing Raziel Jeffers and recognising him when one of the shirts coverin his head came off and revealed his face . Mr. Quin said this was an accurate description despite the circumstances, adding that the young man had seen Jeffers only days before and was familiar with him.

The Justice added that gunshot residue found on a pack of Rizzlas in the defendants pockets and cell phone records corroborating Martinez’s account of Jeffers’ movements on the night of the murder were all very compelling when looked at together.

“I have been impressed by the two witnesses and their bravery,” said the Justice Quin, before finding Jeffers guilty of the murder of Marcus Ebanks, in addition to four counts of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.