In August 2018, Police in Belmopan City reported the discovery of the lifeless body of renowned British filmmaker residing in Belize, Richard Foster. According to the police report, he had been reported missing by his wife. His body was found in the Rivera area of Belmopan with multiple stab wounds and head injuries. Days later, police arrested and jointly charged Andrew Clark, Derwin Lincoln Jones, and Edmond Anthony Pascasio for murder and were remanded. Four years later, they were acquitted of Foster’s murder due to a lack of evidence.
The hearing at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 23rd, revealed that the presiding judge did not find the main prosecution witness credible. The witness stated that he observed Pascacio leading Foster down to a riverside and saw him stabbing the filmmaker, leaving him there by the river. According to the judge, the witness was an accomplice to the crime, and his testimony could be an attempt to blame someone other than himself.
The prosecution also struggled with the case, unable to produce crucial evidence like forensics or a murder weapon. As a result, the judge acquitted Pascacio and Clark of the murder charge, and they left court as free men. The third individual charged, Jones, reportedly did not stand trial for the accusation because the prosecution withdrew the case against him.
Richard Foster and his wife Carol owned and operated the Savanna Guest House off mile 28 of the George Price Highway. The guest house used to be part of a natural history filming base and studio. Many documentaries for National Geographic TV and BBC were made at the guesthouse/studio, including parts of the Planet Earth and Life series. Richard and Carol were awarded two Emmys and numerous other awards for their work in Belize and worldwide. Foster, an animal lover, and Natural History Filmmaker, also worked closely with the Belize Zoo during his time in Belize.
Friends and family are devastated by the acquittal, with one close friend calling it, “A terrible miscarriage of justice.”
