The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of killing ten-year-old Lorencia Walkes in a 2020 drive-by shooting has once again been denied bail after a Supreme Court judge cited his extensive record of bail violations and public safety concerns.

Donald Cox, 28, is facing two murder charges and one count of attempted murder in connection with the May 29, 2020, shooting in Bel Air Estates that left Walkes and Perron Bain dead. Another victim, Leroy Sands, was injured but survived. Walkes, a fifth-grader, was struck by a stray bullet while playing in her yard.

Justice Neil Braithwaite rejected Cox’s latest bail application, noting that the accused had previously been granted bail in March 2021, but it was revoked in January this year following a breach. Cox’s prior bid for bail was also denied in August 2023.

In his most recent appeal, Cox argued that he is a father of two and claimed his only convictions were for bail violations tied to this case in May and September last year, for which he was fined and placed on probation. He insisted he had no other criminal record and promised to comply with any bail conditions.

Cox also blamed trial delays for his prolonged detention, saying proceedings were scheduled for November 2024 and January 2025 but failed to move forward.

However, prosecutor Jacklyn Burrows, appearing for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, strongly opposed bail, noting Cox had been charged with ten bail breaches. She also revealed that he had a 2017 firearm and ammunition conviction, which he failed to disclose in his submission.

Burrows argued that Cox posed a danger to public safety and referenced witness testimony placing him in a stolen vehicle from which gunfire erupted in the Carmichael Road area, leading to the current charges.

Cox’s attorney, Nathan Smith, countered by pointing to his client’s presumption of innocence and questioning the strength of the prosecution’s case. He also claimed a key witness had recanted and argued that Cox had already suffered the consequences of his bail infractions.

Justice Braithwaite was unconvinced, ruling that Cox had deliberately omitted details of his criminal history and that the evidence against him was strong. He said the defendant’s repeated breaches indicated he was unlikely to follow any future bail conditions.

While acknowledging delays in the trial process, the judge found they were not excessive, noting Cox would have spent less than three years in custody by the scheduled trial date of February 6, 2026 — a timeframe he considered reasonable.

As a result, Cox’s bail application was denied.