On Thursday 4th May 2017, in the Grand Turk Supreme Court, Colin Delancy Jr. of The Bight Providenciales, was sentenced to 12 years Imprisonment for the 2011 murder of Santa Suarez Ramirez of the Dominican Republic.
It was reported on Wednesday 20th July 2011 shortly after 9 pm that a female was shot at the sailing Paradise Restaurant located in Blue Hills. As a result, Police and emergency services responded where the victim, who was the bar-maid was later pronounced deceased from a gunshot wound.
Investigation revealed that Lavardo Smith armed with a gun along with two other males, dropped off by Colin who was waiting in a getaway car, entered the establishment and while inside Santa Suarez Ramirez was shot and killed. Police later arrested and charged all four males. Two of the men pleaded guilty to their charges and was subsequently sentenced to 4 and seven years respectively for their roles in the incident while Smith and Delancy maintained their not guilty plea. They both went to a trial in the Supreme Court. In 2013, Smith was charged and found guilty of murder; he was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Delancy was charged and found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years. Both men appealed to the Court of Appeal on a misdirection given by the trial judge which was granted. Hence a retrial was set for 2017.
On Wednesday 1st February 2017, after a retrial for Smith, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.