The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A TEENAGER was charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with a double shooting in Andros that killed a German and wounded another earlier this month.

Derron Smith, 18, of South Andros, faced Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans accused of murdering 57-year-old Torsten Wilhelm Hendrick and the attempted murder of Wolfgang Hendrick at Johnson Bay on November 2. He was one of several men brought before the court yesterday on murder charges.

Police said sometime around 8pm on November 2, three German men were outside their summer residence when they were approached by a masked gunman. The victims attempted to run inside the residence when the suspect opened fire, resulting in two of them being shot. The suspect then fled.

The victims were taken to the local clinic; however, one of them died. The other was airlifted to the capital for medical assistance.

Smith, who was not represented by an attorney, was not required to enter a plea to the charges during his arraignment yesterday.

He was also informed that his case would proceed by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

As a result, bail was denied and he was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) until March 23. He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

Also appearing in court yesterday was 48-year-old Lynden Vincent.

Vincent was charged with the October 31 shooting of Patrice Sawyer.

Sawyer was fatally shot outside her home on Johnson Road after receiving a phone call to come outside, police said.

Relatives found her dead with an apparent gunshot to the head and another to the upper body.

Due to the nature of the charges, Vincent was not required to enter a plea. Bail was denied and he was also remanded to prison until February 1, 2023 for presentation of a VBI.

He can apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

In a separate murder arraignment, Ahmad Clarke, 24, Ashton Wilson, 21 and Omar Atkinson, 22, were charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Fred Lifaite on October 29.

Lifaite was killed in the area of Sixth Street and Poinciana Avenue when two gunmen in a vehicle approached, firing shots in his direction. Neither of the accused was allowed to enter a plea and were remanded to prison.

They will return to court on February 9 for presentation of their VBI.

Clarke, who was said to have had an outstanding warrant conviction, will serve a default sentence of six months in jail for failing to pay fines after being charged with violating the lockdown and deceiving a public officer during the pandemic.