Romano Warren, an 18-year-old from Ottley Hall, appeared before the Serious Offences Court in Kingstown on Monday, facing charges for the murder of Gary Bute, a teenager of the same age. The incident occurred on November 11, when Bute was fatally stabbed on Melville Street around 10:45 a.m. and later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. During the court proceedings, Warren initially claimed to be 15 years old, but a detective presented his birth certificate, confirming his true age. Chief Magistrate Colin John informed Warren that he could not enter a plea at this stage and denied bail, scheduling a preliminary inquiry for January 6, 2026. Notably, Warren was unrepresented by legal counsel during the hearing. However, attorney Grant Connell, present in court but not directly involved in the case, suggested that the Bar Association could assign a lawyer to assist Warren. Connell proposed advancing the next hearing to Monday to facilitate this process. The case was adjourned accordingly, with Connell committing to discuss the matter with Bar Association President Shirlan ‘Zita’ Barnwell.