High Court Acquits Andre Arthurs in 2025 Murder Case

Twenty-eight-year-old Andre Arthurs walked out of the High Court a free man on Tuesday after he was acquitted of the March 2025 murder of Mark Usher Jr. in Belize City.

Usher, 33, was shot and killed at the corner of Jabiru Street and Fabers Road. Arthurs, a construction worker from the Fabers Road area, had been charged with his murder and accused of carrying out the fatal shooting.

However, Justice Nigel Pilgrim ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, citing concerns about the reliability of the identification evidence presented by the Crown.

The prosecution’s case relied heavily on the testimony of Interdiction Police Officer Lawrence Martinez, who told the court he saw a man wearing a blue shirt riding away on a bicycle shortly after the shooting. Martinez later identified Arthurs during a group identification procedure.

While Justice Pilgrim found Martinez to be a credible witness, he said the identification process raised significant concerns. The court heard there was no evidence showing whether the other individuals included in the identification lineup shared similar physical characteristics to Arthurs, including height, complexion, age, or overall appearance.

The judge said those unanswered questions created doubt about the reliability of the identification.

The court also noted that investigators did not collect gunshot residue evidence from Arthurs’ hands, and the prosecution presented no DNA evidence, firearm, or search warrant related to the alleged blue shirt. Questions also remained about the bicycle reportedly abandoned by the suspect after the shooting.

Justice Pilgrim said the Crown had a responsibility to establish that the identification evidence was reliable enough to prove Arthurs was the shooter. Without that certainty, the court could not safely convict him.

Throughout the trial, Arthurs maintained his innocence, telling the court he was at home barbecuing with friends when the gunshots were heard.

Following the not guilty verdict, Arthurs left the court surrounded by relatives. Usher’s mother, who was present for the ruling, left shortly afterward.

Arthurs was represented by attorney Simeon Sampson.