By Breaking Belize News Staff: The long-awaited triple murder trial of Christian Espat, 31, and Michael Brown, 25, has been postponed until January 2027 after the prosecution sought to introduce additional cellphone evidence just days before the proceedings were scheduled to begin.
The two men appeared before Justice Nigel Pilgrim in the High Court on Tuesday, October 20, in connection with the October 2023 shooting deaths of three-year-old Amarie Esmeralda Rodriguez, her father Delmar Rodriguez, and Carlos Leonardo Chi in San Pedro Town.
The prosecution informed the court that additional digital evidence had emerged following discussions with a witness. The evidence reportedly includes cellphone records, a forensic report and photographs that the Crown considers crucial to its case.
Defense attorneys Dickie Bradley and Leeroy Banner, representing Espat, and Dr. Lynden Jones, representing Brown, objected to the late disclosure, arguing that they needed sufficient time to independently examine the material.
Jones told the court that he received notice of the additional evidence late Friday, October 16, and raised concerns about discrepancies in the number of photographs disclosed. He also questioned why digital files reportedly obtained in 2023 carried modification dates from October 2026.
Although Justice Pilgrim acknowledged that the evidence was being introduced unusually late, he ruled that the prosecution could submit it, emphasizing the importance of allowing relevant forensic and digital evidence to be considered in determining the accused men’s guilt or innocence.
The judge subsequently scheduled another case management conference for December 3, 2026, and set the trial for January 19 to 29, 2027, declaring that it would proceed on those dates “come hell or high water.”
The October 22, 2023 shooting in San Pedro’s San Pedrito area also left several other people injured. Espat and Brown were subsequently charged with three counts each of murder, attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm.
The trial has faced previous procedural disputes, including a June 2026 ruling allowing two prosecution witnesses to testify virtually after they expressed fears for their safety.
Justice Pilgrim also invited defense attorneys to submit bail applications on behalf of their clients, who have remained on remand since 2023.
Both men were further remanded to the Belize Central Prison pending the next hearing.
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