RAFAEL Valdez outside court yesterday. He is accused of murder. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune staff
By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was yesterday charged with murder in connection with the shooting of a teacher whose body was found lying in a pool of blood at a local school on New Year’s Day.
Rafael Valdez, 41, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt, after he was accused of causing the death of his brother Andrew Valdez sometime between December 31 and January 1.
According to initial police reports, on the day in question a Stapledon school employee was found dead in one of the northwestern classrooms of the institution with apparent gunshot wounds.
During the hearing, the accused was not required to enter a plea to the murder charge and the case was adjourned to March 30 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).
Yesterday, Valdez was also accused of assaulting and threatening to kill Jeffery Morley. He denied three counts of threats of death, assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm with the intent to put another in fear and that matter was adjourned to September 16 for trial.
In the interim, the accused was denied bail and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.
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