Miguelito Encalada has been sentenced to two life terms for the 2023 murders of his wife, Desiree Elizabeth Gonzalez, and his brother, George Vincent Rochester.
In a sentencing hearing in the High Court today, Justice Candace Nanton ordered that the 42-year-old Encalada must serve a minimum of 40 years before becoming eligible for parole. The sentences will run concurrently and have been backdated to April 24, 2023, the date he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.
The court arrived at a starting point of 42 years, citing the gravity of the double murder. Justice Nanton reduced the sentence by two years after considering several mitigating factors, including Encalada's good conduct while on remand, positive community contributions before his imprisonment, and favorable reports regarding his character and role as a father.
Nevertheless, before sentencing, Encalada addressed the court, offering condolences to both families while maintaining that he was innocent. He insisted he was not responsible for the shooting deaths and claimed the real perpetrator remains at large. Despite his statements, the court upheld the jury's guilty verdict and found that a life sentence with parole eligibility after 40 years was the appropriate punishment.
