Murder and escape accused back in court as case faces further delays

A twenty-one-year-old man facing murder and escape charges saw another adjournment in his case today when he appeared before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. Santos Absolom Chirinos, of Bella Vista Village, was escorted from the Belize Central Prison to appear before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison late yesterday evening. The prosecution informed the court that the case file in Chirinos’ murder matter is still not ready, and the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, May 27th, 2026. Chirinos remains unrepresented.  Chirinos is facing charges in connection with the New Year’s Eve murder of thirty-nine-year-old Keith Logan and the shooting of several other persons who were socializing at Timmy’s Bar in Independence Village on December 31st, 2025.  Following the incident, a wanted poster was issued for Chirinos’ apprehension. He subsequently turned himself in to police custody in the presence of his attorney, but when officers moved to place him under arrest for Logan’s murder, Chirinos pushed his attorney aside and fled the Independence Police Station on foot, making good his escape.  He was later recaptured in early January 2026, and on January 9th, was escorted to the Independence Magistrate’s Court where he was formally charged with murder and escaping from lawful custody. Police say additional charges are expected as the investigation into the shooting continues, with several other victims still part of the ongoing inquiry. Chirinos, a construction worker, remains on remand at the Belize Central Prison.