Not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter was the verdict yesterday from a Dangriga jury in the trial of 63 year old Davis Lopez. Lopez was charged with murder for the April 25th, 2004 fatal shooting of 34-year-old Honduran national Alexi Jeovanni Posada in Riverdale Village, which is just outside of Placencia. Lopez testified and admitted that he fired the fatal blast that hit Posada in the chest. But Lopez claims his 12-gauge shotgun went off by accident. The prosecution however paraded two eyewitnesses who testified that they saw Lopez load his shotgun and shoot Posada.
Evidence in court showed that Lopez was frustrated on the day of the shooting because he lost $700. While Lopez didn't accuse Posada of the theft, the shooting was racially motivated. He believed a Latin person stole the money and Posada was an available target.
Justice Adolph Lucas will sentence Lopez on February 3rd. Crown Counsel Audrey Matura was the prosecutor while Leija Barrow-Chung defended. This trial marked the end of the Southern District session of the Supreme Court. A delayed January session begins on Wednesday, February 1st.
