Split Verdict in San Pedro Double Murder Trial Leaves One Convicted, One Freed

In a High Court ruling today, a double murder trial for a 2019 San Pedro shooting concluded with a split decision: one man was convicted of the murders, while his co-accused was acquitted. Justice Candace Nanton found 31-year-old, Anthony Carballo Jr., guilty of the 2019 slayings of Deon Faber and Allen Martinez, while his cousin and alleged accomplice, Darrell Grant, also 31, was found not guilty. The ruling hinged on the judge’s finding that the prosecution did not sufficiently prove a joint enterprise between the two men, despite video evidence placing both at the scene.  Faber and Martinez, were shot and killed in Faber’s San Pedro home on March 21, 2019. Grant, who told the court he was only at the house to buy weed, was acquitted. The judge, in her ruling, stated that the evidence clearly pointed to a single shooter and that the crown’s evidence was not strong enough to prove Grant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  The trial, which began on June 27, 2025, relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, including over 40 video footages that linked the two men to the murder scene. The footage showed two men, identified as Carballo and Grant, arriving at the house and then running away just 45 seconds after the shooting. A key piece of evidence was the statement of Faber’s wife, who, despite passing away during the pandemic, had given a description of the shooter to police in 2019. This description, along with other circumstantial evidence, linked Carballo to the role of the shooter.  While Carballo remained silent during the trial, his co-accused, gave an unsworn statement, maintaining his innocence and claiming he was at the residence to purchase marijuana. The prosecution argued for a “joint enterprise,” suggesting both men participated in the murders. However, Justice Nanton was not convinced, stating that the evidence did not prove the two men had agreed to kill the victims before arriving at the house.  Justice Nanton has deferred sentencing for Carballo until October 6, to allow for the preparation of several reports, including a psychiatric evaluation, a social inquiry report, and a victim impact statement. Carballo, who has a history with the law and was previously acquitted of a 2012 murder, will await his fate in the Belize Central Prison. He was represented by Attorney Dr. Lynden Jones, while Darrell Grant was represented by Attorney Darrell Bradley. The prosecution was led by Crown Counsel Robert Lord.