Largo Heights resident gets 12 years for murder of Sharpes man

Largo Heights resident Leroy “Head” Haynes was, on Monday, sentenced to 12 years in prison for the 2011 murder of Redemption Sharpes resident, Basil Ellis.{{more}}

Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle handed down the sentence to 32-year-old shopkeeper, whom a case worker deemed as a good prospect for rehabilitation.

A 12-member jury, on October 29, 2013, convicted Haynes for Ellis’ murder.

Ellis, 37, succumbed to a knife wound to his lower abdomen, shortly after being stabbed following an argument just outside Little Tokyo, Kingstown, on Saturday, August 6, 2011.

The court heard that Haynes operated a shop at the bus terminal in Little Tokyo, an area where Ellis used to frequent. According to testimony given in court, Ellis had owed Haynes $50.

Haynes asked Ellis for the money about 12 noon on the day in question, but Ellis told him that he did not have the money and he would pay him the following Monday.

According to the testimony of Vanessa Douglas, the girlfriend of the deceased man, at about 10 p.m. that same day, Ellis was standing close to a lotto booth near to Corea’s Lumber Yard when Haynes again questioned him about money.

Douglas said Ellis walked away, and Haynes asked Ellis once more for the money, following which Haynes took out a knife and stabbed Ellis in his stomach.

Haynes, however, said that it was the deceased who attacked him. He said the deceased came to the shop on the night of the incident with a group of friends and ordered drinks, for which he refused to pay.

Haynes said when he asked the deceased for his money, Ellis became furious and attacked him.

According to Haynes, the deceased attacked him three times – even firing a bottle at him. He said when Ellis attempted to attack him a fourth time, he had a knife in his hand, which Ellis rushed into, causing the injury and evenutally leading to his demise.

Haynes said the deceased had owed him for items in the past amounting to $50.

Haynes was represented by counsel Jomo Thomas.(KW)