Sentencing of 'Beachy Stout', co-convict in wife’s murder again stalled

Portland businessman Everton 'Beachy Stout' McDonald and Oscar Barnes, the man convicted of murdering McDonald's wife, will have to wait for another week to know their fate.

Both men were scheduled to be sentenced this morning on murder and conspiracy to murder charges in the Home Circuit Court but the matter was rescheduled to next week Thursday due to the unavailability of presiding judge Justice Chester Stamp.

The 69-year-old businessman and the 33-year-old tiler were both found guilty of the murder of Tonia McDonald in March.

Sentencing was initially set for May 17 but was postponed until September.

The 32-year-old woman's partially burnt body was found on a deserted road in Sherwood Forest in Portland in July 2020.

It had nine stab wounds and the throat was slashed.

A contract killer, Denvalyn Minott, who is serving 19 years in prison for his role in her murder, had testified that Beachy Stout hired him to kill his wife for $3 million but that he passed on the work to Barnes.

Minott testified that he and Barnes made about four unsuccessful trips to Tonia's house to kill her before he lured her to the area where she was murdered, under the pretence that he had secured two guns that she was seeking to purchase.

The court heard that Tonia had wanted to purchase a gun to avenge her father's death and that her husband introduced her to Minott for his assistance.

The court further heard, during conversations between Beachy Stout and Minott, which he had secretly recorded, that the businessman later advised his wife to purchase two guns and had given her $500,000.

According to Minott, the plan to purchase the guns was a ruse used by Beachy Stout for Minott to get close to his wife.

However, Barnes' lawyers have suggested that he was not involved in the plot and that it was Minott's son, who the police had initially arrested but later released without charge.

Minott, in the secretly recorded conversation, had said repeatedly that his son was involved in the plot and went with him and a taxi driver on one occasion to Tonia's house to kill her.

But when asked about that admission, he said he only mentioned his son to protect Barnes, as Beachy Stout wanted him to act alone.

The trial had also heard that the police had no physical evidence tying Barnes to the murder apart from Minott's statements.

Additionally, the court also heard that Minott did not provide a description or the name of the man whom he claimed murdered Tonia.

Beachy Stout's lawyers, for their part, have suggested that there was no conspiracy and that he did not hire anyone to kill his wife.

They also suggested that the voice in the secret recording was not his and that he had no discussion with Minott about killing his wife.

Attorneys-at-law Christopher Townsend, Courtney Rowe, John Jacobs, Earl Hamilton and his son, Jon-Paul, are representing Beachy Stout.

Attorney-at-law Ernest Davis and Vincent Wellesley are representing Barnes.

- Tanesha Mundle

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