Witness recounts details of macabre murder

A convicted contract killer on Tuesday testified that when he informed businessman Everton ‘Beachy Stout’ McDonald moments after his wife was killed that “it’s finished”, he replied by saying, “Good.”

Continuing his testimony in the Home Circuit Court, where McDonald and his co-accused Oscar Barnes are on trial, the witness, Denvalyn Minott, recounted how he ran from the fiery and bloody murder scene in Sherwood Forest, Portland, on July 2020 to call the victim’s husband to relay the news.

The incarcerated witness disclosed that he had lured the woman to her death under the guise that she was going to collect a gun that she was seeking to buy.

The trial previously heard that the woman had asked Minott to purchase a gun for her to avenge her father’s death. However, Minott claimed that McDonald told him that he was responsible for the man’s death.

The witness testified that when he went to the 68-year-old businessman to enquire about the payment for the hit, McDonald responded, “You think a so $3 million easy fi wuk?” while mentioning past events.

“I told him a time now ‘cause him did a pressure mi fi do the work,” Minott said he replied.

The convict, who is serving 19 years and 10 months for his role in her murder, previously told the court that McDonald offered him $3 million to murder his wife, but that he subcontracted Barnes to carry out the act.

Going back to the night of Tonia’s death, Minott testified that he watched as Barnes held her by the neck from behind and stabbed her multiple times as she repeatedly cried for her mother.

Minott testified that on the day of the murder, he and Tonia picked up Barnes in her car in Port Antonio and they made their way to Sherwood Forest. He said Barnes guided Tonia along past the “houses” and streetlights” before instructing her to stop and to turn the car around.

VICTIM COMPLIED WITH INSTRUCTION

Minott said she complied and turned off the headlights leaving the lights on inside the car.

He further told the court that he exited the front passenger seat, leaving Tonia in the driver’s seat with Barnes seated right behind her.

As he was leaving, he recalled her saying, “Weh you a go lef mi? Yuh nuh see ‘round ya suh dark?”

Minott said he went into a lane and was about four feet from the car and saw when Barnes stepped out of the car before putting back one of his feet inside.

Minott, who was granted permission to step outside the witness box and to demonstrate Barnes’ actions as he remembered, then said, “Den him grab her ‘round the neck from back way and she start to bawl out.

“She shouted out, ‘Mi waa mi mada’, and mi see blood start spill out a har,” he recalled.

After Barnes let her go, the witness said he exited the car and locked the door.

He said Barnes then returned and pulled the door and Tonia fell from the car on to the road from the back seat.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he said.

Asked how Tonia had got to the back, he explained that while Barnes was stabbing her she was kicking and wrestling, and during the encounter, she ended up around the back.

After noticing that she was no longer talking or moving and concluding that she was dead, Minott said he tried to leave, but Barnes pulled a gun at him.

Minott said he then told Barnes that he was going home and saw when he pulled a bottle from his pocket, threw its contents into the car, and set it ablaze.

Minott said he then ran off leaving Barnes behind.

Explaining why Barnes reportedly lit the car, Minott said that McDonald had told him that he wanted the car to burn so that he could file an insurance claim.

After running away from the scene, Minott said he saw a police car and tried to stop it to inform them of the murder, but the car drove by.

The next morning, he confessed to a friend and went to a police station as he was feeling uncomfortable about the situation, but changed his mind and left.

According to the witness, he remained in constant contact with McDonald in the two weeks following the murder, but he was never paid.

He said he only received a banger phone and a promise that he would soon be paid.

In the meantime, Minott disclosed that he had placed a memory chip in the phone and that it automatically recorded a conversation that he had with McDonald.

He will continue his evidence today.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com