Crooked Tree Murder Case Splits as One Accused Awaits Sentencing

There were new developments just before the Easter break in the long-running Crooked Tree murder case, as two men accused in the 2021 killing of 69-year-old Geoffrey Gilbert Crawford appeared before the Belize City Magistrate’s Cour, each now at a different stage in the legal process.  Maurice Usher Junior, who was initially charged with murder, has since pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Usher entered that plea before Justice Derick Sylvester in the High Court and is currently on remand awaiting sentencing.  Meanwhile, his co-accused, Patrick Lloyd Young Junior, remains before the lower court as he prepares to face a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the same murder charge. Young appeared in court last week, where he was served with full disclosure amounting to 174 pages of evidence, including photographs and video material previously handed over in March.  With disclosure now complete, the court has set April 24 as the start date for Young’s PI, which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the matter to proceed to trial. At this time, Young remains unrepresented.  The case dates back to September 2021, when Crawford, a retiree from Crooked Tree Village, was reported missing. Police investigations revealed that he was last seen at his residence along the Philip Goldson Highway, where an eyewitness reported seeing two men and Crawford leaving in his vehicle under suspicious circumstances.  A day later, police discovered Crawford’s vehicle abandoned along a feeder road, and shortly after, his body was found buried in a shallow grave nearby. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that he died from multiple blunt force injuries to the head.  Usher was detained and charged shortly after the discovery, while Young was arrested and charged several years later, in October 2025.  The matter now continues on two separate legal tracks, one nearing sentencing, and the other moving toward a possible trial.