The judicial proceedings for the high-profile double homicide case against Ladyville barber Miguelito Encalada reached their conclusion today in the High Court. Presiding Justice Candace Nanton has deferred her final judgment until May 22, 2026, following extensive courtroom deliberations. Encalada stands accused of fatally shooting his spouse, Desiree Elizabeth Gonzalez, and his sibling, George Vincent Rochester, on April 20, 2023, at his Scissors Tail Street barbershop establishment in Ladyville.
The prosecution, led by Crown Counsel Joseph Perez, concluded its evidentiary presentation at 1:53 p.m. after examining nearly twenty witnesses throughout the trial. Legal submissions will proceed through written arguments, with the prosecution’s brief due by April 22 and the defense’s response mandated by May 4.
Notable evidentiary rulings emerged during the proceedings, with Justice Nanton excluding an alleged crime scene utterance—”My gun is there”—attributed to Encalada. However, the court admitted both written interview documentation and video-recorded statements as legitimate evidence.
In an unsworn statement from the dock, Encalada presented an alternative narrative of the events, claiming armed assailants subdued him before executing his wife and brother and absconding with approximately $7,000-$8,000 from the business. He maintained his complete innocence regarding the homicide charges.
The prosecution’s ballistic analysis reportedly connected bullet fragments recovered at the crime scene to Encalada’s legally registered 9mm firearm, which official records indicate was registered to him several months prior to the tragic incident. Defense attorney Hurl Hamilton elected not to call any witnesses during the trial phase.