Marcus Lloyd (left) and Mitch Christopher arriving in court on March 12, 2015. Photo: VINO

Jurors heard of the plot to rob Darren 'Tiger' Hodge of his safe of drugs and other valuables he allegedly had. The act committed resulted in him being riddled with bullets, with one to the brain that killed him. Photo: VINO/File

The details of the Crown's case were told in court yesterday March 12, 2015 by Director of Public Prosecutions Mr Wayne Rajbansie. Mr Rajbansie will be ably assisted in the trial by Principal Crown Counsel Ms Tiffany R. Scatliffe and Mr O'Neil Simpson. Photo: VINO/File

Marcus Lloyd (left) and Wakeem Guishard during an earlier court appearance. Photo: VINO/File

Mitch Christopher (centre) during a previous court appearance. Photo: VINO/File

The trial got underway yesterday, March 12, 2015 before Justice Nicole Byers in the High Court of the Virgin Islands where Director of Public Prosecutions Mr Wayne Rajbansie illustrated the Crown’s case by giving details of the alleged plot to rob Hodge who he alleged was a known seller of drugs in the ‘Ghetto’.

‘The Plot’

The court heard that in September 2010 Charles was at Lloyd’s house in Harrigan’s Estate where he met Guishard and Christopher. There was a discussion taking place at the time. Lloyd, the DDP alleged, wanted the men to go over to Tiger’s home and rob him of drugs they believed he had at his home. “Charles understood Lloyd to be saying that they were to take the drugs, the money and anything of value. The robbery was to take place at gun point. The plan was for Charles to drive and drop off Guishard and Christopher at Tiger’s place.”

The court heard that the robbery was to take place that same week of the conversation, which occurred on or around Monday September 6, 2010. “Lloyd indicated that they were scouting Tiger and watching him. There was agreement with the plan,” said Mr Rajbansie.

Continuing to lay out the ‘plot’, the court heard further allegations that Christopher rented a vehicle on Thursday September 9, to use for “the job”. The next day Charles met Guishard and Christopher in the ‘Ghetto’ in Road Town after 8:00pm. Tiger was in the ‘Ghetto’ that evening as confirmed by Riel Charlswell who shared a piece of shark meat with him and by Julian Turnbull who took a ride home with Tiger later that night shortly after 9pm.

Charles, Guishard and Christopher left the ‘Ghetto’ and walked over to Joe’s Hill where Christopher had parked the rental vehicle, a black Suzuki Grand Vitara. “The three of them left Road Town destined for Meyers. Christopher was driving when they left Road Town, the court was told.

'The execution'

Christopher allegedly drove to the top of Joe’s Hill and stopped the vehicle and Charles took over driving from that point while Christopher went into the back seat and Guishard stayed as the front passenger. Christopher then allegedly placed a call to Lloyd informing him where they were going and inquired of the whereabouts of ‘Tiger’.

The court heard who was given which gun and that when they made the move on Tiger’s home he was not yet at home.

Christopher and Guishard allegedly gained access to the house by forcing the first and second blades of the rear bedroom window apart, and then forced inward the mosquito screen. Having climbed in, they allegedly ransacked the room. Approximately 15 minutes after Charles had parked the vehicle, he saw Tiger’s jeep coming around the corner and proceeding to his home.

“Julian Turnbull will tell you that around 9:30pm Tiger dropped him off at the intersection, no other person was in that vehicle and Tiger was in good health,” Mr Rajbansie told the jurors.

They heard that it was a few minutes after ‘Tiger’ had arrived home that Charles heard the sound of rapid gunfire and glass breaking.

The jurors will hear that Hodge’s lifeless body was found in the living room, lying on his back with his feet towards the front door and head towards the kitchen area. The bedrooms were ransacked, with drawers overturned on the bed and clothing strewn about the room. The house had been shot up and lots of cartridge casings and lead fragments were identified.

Charles was instructed to go into the house and assist Guishard to remove the safe from the bedroom. At least two neighbours are likely to take to the witness stand to tell the court what they heard that night and what they did, including ducking for cover. Another witness is to also tell the court about seeing the get-away vehicle passing as that witness had to pull over in the corner because of the speed the vehicle was being driven.

The continuation of the allegations likely to be brought out in open court by the star and other witnesses spoke to what happened after the alleged criminals left Hodge’s bullet riddled body in his home.

Following DNA reports in April of 2011 Charles was arrested and charged for Tiger’s murder in June 2011. He had been given three cautioned interviews and it was in the second and third interviews that he implicated the three currently on trial. Charles had pleaded guilty on December 12, 2011 and was sentenced to life in prison.

Further investigations continued and the three defendants now on trial were arrested in May 2014 and also charged for murder. They all denied any involvement in the shooting death of Darren Allen Hodge aka ‘Tiger’.

See story posted March 12, 2015

Guishard, Lloyd & Christopher plead not guilty to ‘Tiger’ Hodge's murder

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Wakeem Guishard, Marcus Lloyd and Mitch Christopher, accused in the murder of Daren Allen ‘Tiger’ Hodge, pleaded not guilty when they appeared in the High Court today March 12, 2015.

The men are represented by attorneys at law Patrick Thompson, Valerie Stephens-Gordon and Jamal Smith.

The Crown is represented by Director of Public Prosecutions Wayne Rajbansie, Tiffany R. Scatliffe and O’Neil Simpson.

The first witness will take the stand tomorrow March 13, 2015. We will bring more details in a subsequent article.