After almost 5 months on remand, 37-year-old Leon Garcia, a resident of St. Jude Street in Belize City, is free. That's because the DPP's office has decided not to prosecute him for murder.
Garcia was accused of the October 27, 2021 murder of Ian Westby. As we reported, the 30-year-old Placencia resident was shot and killed in Belize City while on a visit to his Uncle. Shortly before midday on that date, Westby's body was found slumped over in the driver's side of his Uncle's car. That was only a few moments after he was seen walking with a man with who he was familiar.
2 days later, Garcia was arrested and charged for his killing. Yesterday, Garcia was removed from the Belize Central Prison and brought to the Magistrate's court. That's when the presiding magistrate informed him that a directive came from the DPP's office in a memo that directed the court to withdraw the murder charge against him.
