Two men accused of killing their wives appear in Belize High Court

Belize: Two men, charged with the murders of their wives, appeared before the Justice Candace Nanton in High Court for Case Management Conferences (CMC) on Friday night as their trial approaches. They are identified as Miguelito Encalada (aged 39) and Juan Carlos Novelo (aged 44).

Miguelito Encalada is charged with murdering his wife and brother, while Juan Carlos Novelo is charged with killing his wife. They are expected to appear before the courts for their trial and face the punishment for their charges in 2026.

The first murder case

Encalada is a barber who lives in Ladyville Village. He has killed his wife, Desiree Elizabeth Gonzalez, and brother, George Vincent Rochester. Encalada and his wife ran a business called D’s Bistro and a barber shop from their house. The murder took place on April 20, 2023.

Crown Counsel Denfield Dennison stated during CMC that they (Encalada and his attorney) must present before the court one witness for direct examination, two witnesses for cross-examination, and three other witnesses for statements.

The defendant is represented by counsel, Hurl Hamilton, who intends to challenge the admissibility of a police interview. His defence is that, even with video recording, the Justice of the Peace has not done a good job. It is further mentioned that a voir dire will be held before the trial.

Justice Candace Nanton has listed a defense timeline. She told the suspect and his attorney that they need to submit their written grounds by February 28, 2026. The Justice also scheduled another CMC on March 12, 2026, at 1:00 pm. Their trial dates have been scheduled for March 19, 20, 23-27, and 30-31, 2026.

The second murder case

In the second murder case, Novelo is a maintenance worker from Caye Caulker. He is charged for the murder of his wife, Leslie Margarita Verde, 32, whom he killed on November 4, 2023. The defendant is represented by attorney Leroy Banner; while a second expert report will be presented by the Crown.

Justice Nanton ordered that the defense presented their application for further expert evidence and their bill for government funding by February 27, 2026. The Crown has until March 13, 2026, to present and to also produce a readable version of the post mortem report.

Novelo’s trial is scheduled for June 29, 2026, and will take between five and ten days. It will include expert testimony, dealing with two minor witnesses, and overcoming language barriers for witnesses. In addition, Novelo will be attending another CMC on April 13, 2026.

Both suspects will stay at the Belize Central Prison until April 13, 2026.