Life in prison: that's what Indian Creek villager Agripo Ical will spend for killing American tourist Julia Armstrong Minard. The sentence was handed down yesterday in the southern session of the Supreme Court in Dangriga.
Last week a jury convicted Ical of the November 2005 murder in Indian Creek. And on sentencing day it was life for a life - because for taking the life of the 20-year-old American backpacker, Ical was sentenced to life in prison.
The sentence was handed down by Supreme Court Justice Minette Hafiz Bertram. Two character witnesses made pleas for leniency on behalf of Ical. One of those witnesses was one of his primary school teachers.
Julia Armstrong was in Indian Creek Village on November 13th of 2005 as part of a Central American tour. On the night of the murder, she was out with Ical and other villagers.
Though he originally confessed to police, during the trial Ical said that she was killed during a struggle. He claimed she had originally agreed to have sex with him but later refused. Minard came from a wealthy family in the United States.
