Murder Trial Collapses: Accused Killer Shawn Flores Freed, Kyle Zetina’s Trial Continues

One of the two accused killers in a 2019 triple murder was set free today.  The murder trial began two weeks ago with Kyle Zetina and Shawn Flores standing accused of Alarice Andrewin, Vidal Antonio Yuman, and Maria Lucas.  The trial fell apart today when Justice Candace Nanton rejected the caution statement made by Flores.  The trial was paused for a voir dire, which is a trial within a trial, as the defence queried the validity of the caution statement reportedly given under duress.  The rejection of the caution statement made by Flores had only let him off the hook, leaving Zetina to continue standing trial for the triple murder.  Norman Moore represented Flores and gave an interview following his client’s acquittal.

Norman Moore, Attorney at Law: “We were trying to establish the voluntariness of the caution statements that both parties did. Because both parties were contesting the voluntariness of those caution statements. For my client, he put forward objections in the form of police brutality and threats. Fortunately for him, today he was victorious in that. So now the caution statement has been completely thrown out and that was the only piece of evidence that the prosecution has admittedly said that they were relying on in this triple murder matter. However, today this morning, Mr. Smith walked in today and said since the caution statement is out my client has been acquitted of the triple murder. With a caution statement, in essence, it’s like a confession. So, but again, that confession statement must have been done voluntarily without any threats, promise or forced by police. And the Crown could not prove that did not happen.”

The murder trial was adjourned to July 15.  Attorney for Kyle Zetina is Norman Rodriguez.  According to Rodriguez, the court has accepted his client’s caution statements with the belief that it was not forcibly given.  The triple murder happened in June 2019 inside the home of the Principal of Excelsior High School, Alarice Andrewin along with two friends.  The three were found with their hands tied behind their backs and gunshots to the head.  The bodies were found when Andrewin’s colleagues grew concerned over her unexplained absence at school.