NASSAU-A man who raped and murdered a pregnant woman inside her home shortly after he’d been freed from prison has been spared the death penalty.
Alister Williams, 34, Garden Hills, strangled 35-year-old Guyanese teacher Marisha Bowen with a belt and stabbed her in the neck six times, killing her and her unborn child in September 2016.
But Justice Carolita Bethell declined to impose the death penalty, saying the gruesome crime did not meet the “worst of the worst” standard set by the Privy Council, the country’s highest court.
The judge, however, imposed a stiff sentence of 55 years in prison, as she believed Williams would reoffend.
Gruesome
Bowen’s neighbours called police to her apartment on Red Sea Road after they found her murdered in her bedroom around 8am on September 9.
They made the gruesome discovery after they went to investigate her screams, the court heard.
Bowen, who taught at the Charles Saunders High School, was found naked on her blood soaked bed.
Williams was linked to the brutal crime after his DNA was found in blood in the apartment, under Bowen’s fingernails and his semen was found in her vagina.
What’s more, police found Williams with two cellphones when they arrested him.
One of the phones belonged to Bowen; the other was her son’s.
No remorse
Williams denied the involvement in the murder and robbery at his trial. He claimed that someone else killed Bowen and gave him her belongings.
A jury took less than two hours to unanimously convict Williams of the crimes on May 24, 2018.
The penalty phase of his trial was delayed because he fired Public Defender Stanley Rolle in October 2018. This meant court-appointed lawyer Christina Galanos needed time to familiarize herself with the case.
Additionally, there were delays in the preparation of the psychiatric and probation reports.
Psychiatrist Dr John Dillet believed that Williams could be reformed. However, probation officer Matrena Carey disagreed.
The probation report gave a chilling account of Williams’ criminal history that began when he was a teen.
The report said that the mother of Williams’ only child described him as “extremely physically abusive.”
The woman also accused him trying to rape her friend.
According to the report, “It was general consensus in the neighbourhood that he is a criminal and sexual predator.”
Prosecutor Rodger Thompson cited Williams’ criminal history and lack of remorse to make a case for the death penalty.
On the other hand, Ms Galanos suggested that a prison sentence in the range of 30 to 60 years was appropriate.
Senior Justice Bernard Turner delivered the sentencing decision for Justice Bethell, who is now an appellate court judge.
The 55-year sentence takes effect from the date of conviction.
