In September of Last year, we brought you the story of Bernard Timmons, a librarian who was chopped to the neck while on a visit to Orange Walk.
The man charged with his murder was Nimrod Tillett, who had been charged with murder before, not once but twice. His first murder charge in 2009 was for his neighbour, and his second was for the alleged killing of a caretaker from Yo Creek.
But despite what seems like a violent history Tillett has never been convicted.
Tonight it seems he's 0 for 3 on jail time after the mother of the man alleged to be his latest victim says he's been dismissed and is now walking free from what she believes was her son's murder.
She told her concerns to CTV3 this evening and explained that when she first heard the news of Tillett's release she argued that it wasn't true.
Emilia Flowers, Bernard Timmons Mom
"Um, well the reason why I am here is to let the whole country of Belize know this person murdered my son and he is out walking free. So, we didn't get any call to let us know we don't even know if there was a court and take him in and let him go free. I didn't know anything about that, I got it on the street that he is out. I didn't believe it at first, I said how can a murderer get away, and be walking free? So, I looked into it further, looked into it further and so I called and that is when they told me to go to the C.I.B. office, they are the ones that told me yes he is out walking. I don't know what happened there but the video tells it all but the DPP went ahead and let him go. So, ma'am he said you can go ahead and do what you have to do so the DPP can answer to that because we have a conflict on the video that yes he is the one that did it to my son, so why is he out free and the mother didn't know anything, you understand that is my concern and I want to know what they are going to do with him."
"These are the things that murder doesn't stop because people take street justice. I am not the person seeking street justice all I want is to give me answers as to why he is out free and he killed this person in his cold blood because he is innocent, he didn't hurt anybody, it doesn't matter what type of person he is, he didn't deserve to go like that, you understand."
7News reached out to DPP Cheryl-Lyn Vidal for comment this evening and via text, she told us quote: " The police were initially advised that the evidence that they had forwarded for consideration was insufficient to sustain a charge. They nonetheless charged the accused. The file was later submitted to the Office and the position remained the same." The DPP went on to say: "No further evidence had been gathered. In the circumstances, it was directed that the matter could not proceed to a preliminary inquiry and the charge should be withdrawn."
It's a very different tone than the one that Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa struck back in September when he told 7News that the case against Tillett was rock solid. At the time the Minister said, quote: "And in this particular case, I have been assured by the commissioner of police that the evidence is solid, not just in terms of the camera evidence but in terms of eyewitness evidence, and that we will secure a conviction." End quote.
