Technical Glitch Delays Sentencing in Ladyville Triple Homicide Case

The old adage “progress brings problems” was evident at the Belize High Court today as the new communication system experienced a glitch that resulted in the adjournment of the Jared Ranguy sentencing.  Ranguy is the man who pleaded guilty to killing his mother, sister and stepfather inside their home in Ladyville in 2012.  This morning, the Skeen family gathered at the courthouse in anticipation of the sentencing, but instead they experienced yet another delay.  Rene Skeen, brother to the victim, Karen Skeen and uncle to the other victim, Teena Skeen, says the family is beyond disappointed as they have been to the courthouse more than two dozen times, hoping for a conclusion to this matter.

Rene Skeen, Relative of the Deceased: “Well, disappointment is an understatement at this point for the family. Apparently they moved over to the new building from what we know as the Supreme Court. And what the prosecutor just informed the family is that it is adjourned until tomorrow because of some technical difficulties they’re having in the new building. The hope of the entire family was that this would have been the last time we walking up the courtroom concerning this particular case. And obviously, beyond everybody’s control, it won’t happen. The family, we stick together no matter what. We are a God fearing family and no matter what, we will be here. Unfortunately for me, I flew in yesterday just for this case today but I gotta fly out back this afternoon because of my obligations in the US. Yeah, and you know what? I like to use the term, I don’t like to be disrespectful, but I’m not surprised. They move in a new building, you guys are here for about an hour also waiting with us and they’re trying to prepare, doing everything when this probably should have done over the weekend or something like that. It’s their call. There’s nothing we can do as a family. We’ve been to the court as a family more than 25 times, more than seven or eight attorneys, three judges, multiple persecutors. So we would have loved to get it over with today. But again, it’s beyond our control. But I might not be here tomorrow, but I’m sure you’re going to see the same amount of family less myself here tomorrow.”

Love News understands that Ranguy will appear virtually in the High Court before Justice Nigel Pilgrim for his sentencing hearing tomorrow.  The previous adjournment was on June 28 when Ranguy had shown up to court to be sentenced, but an adjournment was ordered for consideration of a mitigation plea presented by his attorney, Godfrey Smith. In his submission, Smith said that the court should consider a fixed term sentence due to the possibility that Ranguy was sleepwalking when he brutally murdered his mother, Karen Skeen; his stepfather, Robert Vellos, and his sister, Teena Skeen back in 2012.