Second Suspect in 2021 Murder Trial Acquitted

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A second suspect in a 2021 murder has been acquitted, just one week after prosecutors dropped the case against his co-accused.

Tevin Bethel and Stephan Davis were both charged with the July 12, 2021 murder of Michael Thompson Jr.

Thompson was at a car wash on East Street when a gunman emerged from a blue Nissan March shot him multiple times.

Prosecutors dropped the case against Davis, who was accused of being the getaway driver, before starting the case against Bethel.

A jury of five men and four women took less than two hours before acquitting Bethel by a count of 8-1.

Prosecutors relied on the testimony of Thompson’ girlfriend who identified Bethel as the gunman.

His lawyers argued that the identification was mistaken and highlighted deficiencies in the prosecution’s case.

They failed to produce footage from CCTV footage from cameras on nearby utility poles and did not send a hat dropped by the gunman for DNA.

Investigating officer Andrew Deveaux testified that it was determined that a Nissan March that Davis was found with was not used in the murder.