Court rejects new conspiracy to murder charge against ‘Beachy Stout’ and co-accused

A day after the court tossed out a count of murder conspiracy against Portland businessman Everton 'Beachy Stout' McDonald and Oscar Barnes, the man accused of killing McDonald's wife, the court this morning refused an application to add a fresh count of conspiracy to murder against both defendants.

The Crown was seeking to amend the indictment to say that McDonald had conspired with convicted contract killer, Denvalyn Minott, and that Barnes had also conspired with Minott in the killing of Tonia McDonald.

Minott is the prosecution's star witness.

However, the judge refused the application saying it would be prejudicial to Barnes.

Additionally, it was noted that the same evidence that is being used to charge McDonald for murder would be the same evidence being used in the new count.

McDonald and Barnes were on Monday freed of murder conspiracy charges.

The defendants, who still each have to answer to a count of murder in the ongoing trial, were freed after the presiding upheld no-case submissions by the defendant's attorney.

The judge found that there was no evidence to establish that there was a conspiracy between the two.

The men were charged in connection with the July 20, 2020, murder of businesswoman, 32-year-old Tonia McDonald, whose partially burnt body was found on a deserted road in Sherwood Forest in Portland.

Tonia, whose throat was also slashed, had nine other knife wounds.

- Tanesha Mundle

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