Getaway driver in Trelawny church murder pleads guilty, to become prosecution witness

The man who drove the getaway car in the shooting death of 51-year-old Andrea Lowe-Garwood has pleaded guilty to two counts as part of a plea agreement with the prosecution.

Leon Hines has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of firearm and accessory after the fact.

Under the agreement, the 23-year-old storekeeper of Rose Heights, Montego Bay, St James pleaded not guilty to murder, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory before the fact, and misprision of felony and the prosecution offered no further evidence.

He’s to become a prosecution witness.

Hines, who appeared before the Home Circuit Court, signed the plea agreement today.

He was remanded until March 12.

Hines, who was arrested in Kingston, was taken to court via a voluntary bill of indictment. 

He was charged along with 29-year-old Javan Garwood, otherwise called ‘Janoy’, who is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder and Dwight Bingham who is charged with murder and illegal possession of firearm.

Garwood and Bingham appeared before the Trelawny Parish Court on Monday and were remanded until March 2.

READ: DPP dismisses concern over separate church murder cases

Lowe-Garwood was among those worshipping at the Agape Christian Fellowship Church in Falmouth in January, when a man entered the building, and sat on a bench behind her.

During the praise and worship segment, the man reportedly pulled a handgun and fired multiple shots hitting Lowe-Garwood to her upper body, before running from the building and escaping in a white Toyota Allion motor car.

Lowe-Garwood was rushed to the Falmouth hospital where she was pronounced dead.

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