Contract killer breaks down with mention of his missing son

The contract killer in the murder of Portland businesswoman Tonia McDonald on Thursday broke down in tears and refused to answer questions about his son’s whereabouts.

Denvalyn Minott, the prosecution’s key witness, who claimed he was hired by Everton ‘Beachy Stout’ to kill his wife for $3 million, had reported his son missing in 2020. That son was never found.

Yesterday, when attorney-at-law Vincent Wellesley was questioning him about another son, Fitzroy, who he had mentioned repeatedly in the secretly recorded conversation, reportedly between him and McDonald, and who was also detained when the police arrested Minott, the witness became very emotional and agitated.

When asked if he had heard his voice mentioning his son in the recordings, he agreed.

In one of the conversations, Minott, who is serving 19 years in prison for his role in the July 2020 murder of Tonia, was heard telling the man said to be McDonald that he, his son, and a taxi operator went to Tonia’s home in a failed attempt to have her killed.

However, when the lawyer asked him where his son was now, he paused and glowered at the lawyer while saying amid tears: “Him don’t want me go back weh mi son and di taximan deh. Nuh ask me ‘bout dem. Nuh ask me no question ‘bout dem.”

Minott then retreated from the dock as if he wanted to walk out of the courtroom, but the lawyer told him to return to the dock.

SHORT RECESS

Justice Chester Stamp, noting that Minott looked stressed, said he would allow him a moment to compose himself and permitted him to step outside.

Minutes after leaving the courtroom, Minott was observed crying while saying, “A him kill me son.”

Before his emotional breakdown, there were testy exchanges between the witness and the lawyer, who had accused him of being dishonest about his client Oscar Barnes’ involvement in the murder.

According to Minott, he could not go through with Tonia’s killing and had subcontracted Barnes to carry out the killing.

When the matter resumed, Minott acknowledged that the police had arrested Fitzroy and that he was making reference to that son in the recordings.

The son in question, the trial heard, had given the police a statement in which he said his father was an area don.

Pressed further as to why he had said repeatedly in the recording that his son was involved in Tonia’s murder, Minott maintained that it was all an act to protect Barnes. He said he did not want McDonald to know of Barnes’ so-called involvement because he had been instructed to carry out the murder by himself.

But Wellesley suggested to him that his client was never involved in the killing and that it was his son who was involved, but Minott disagreed.

Minott also denied lying to the court when he said that Barnes went with him to Tonia’s house in an attempt to kill her.

NO EVIDENCE

The chief investigator was also recalled to the stand on Thursday. Under cross-examination, he insisted that there was no evidence to charge Minott’s son.

He told the court that he had asked Minott about the references made to his son during the recordings and he had given him an explanation.

“You believe this man, who is a murderer and liar?” Wellesley asked before the judge intervened and told him that that was not a question for the witness.

Wellesley then asked the investigator whether he accepted the words of a liar and murder, but the police witness said he did not know Minott to be a liar.

Earlier, one of McDonald’s attorneys, Christopher Townsend, before completing his cross-examination, suggested that it was not his client’s voice that was heard in the recordings and that he was not involved in a conspiracy to murder his wife, but Minott disagreed.

Minott also denied suggestions that he did not have a conversation with McDonald about killing his wife and that the businessman did not tell him that he was going to give his wife money to purchase guns.

The witness also rejected the suggestion that he was not the one who made the recordings.

In the meantime, the prosecution yesterday closed its case, and the matter was adjourned until Monday, when the defence will make legal arguments.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com