In a Belizean court ruling that closes one chapter of a tragic 2019 case but leaves critical systemic questions unanswered, Collin Francis has been handed a 16-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of Nestor Vasquez, alongside a concurrent 10-year sentence for the attempted murder of nurse Augustina Elijio. With time already served since Francis’ arrest in June 2019 factored into his sentence, approximately nine years remain on his combined term.
The case has reignited long-simmering debates over how public safety and mental health care intersect in the country’s criminal justice system. Court documents confirm that Francis was living with severe, untreated mental illness at the time of the attacks, and he has since received an official diagnosis of schizophrenia. Testimony during the trial revealed that Francis had been off his psychiatric medication for an extended period leading up to the June 2019 violence, and that marijuana use – which the presiding judge identified as a trigger for his psychotic episodes – was also a contributing factor.
What has hit hardest for the Vasquez family is the ongoing failure of authorities to explain why Nestor Vasquez, a detainee, was placed in the same police holding cell as Francis, a man who had already documented a pattern of violent behavior. Jules Vasquez, brother of the slain victim, says the conviction delivers a measure of legal justice but does not undo the systemic lapse that cost his brother his life.
In an interview following the sentencing, Jules Vasquez emphasized that the gaps in care for severely mentally ill violent offenders put entire communities at risk. “Mr. Francis tried to kill two people in June of 2019. He killed one but I do not want another family to have to go through that,” he stated. Vasquez argued that neither the family of Francis nor the national system has the capacity to provide consistent, appropriate care for someone with Francis’ condition. A social inquiry report submitted to the court confirmed that Francis’ elderly parents lacked the resources and ability to manage his care, even before the attacks. While Francis has reportedly remained stable in prison while accessing his medication and being barred from marijuana, Vasquez says he remains unconvinced that any community-based system can ensure he consistently adheres to his treatment plan.
“When he’s off his meds and experiencing hallucinations, he is capable of killing,” Vasquez noted. “I do not believe that we have the healthcare infrastructure to properly manage someone with these needs.”
Justice Pilgrim, who presided over the case, echoed these concerns in his remarks from the bench. He publicly criticized the national prison system for failing to comply with court-ordered psychiatric assessments for offenders, and called on the government of Belize to invest in dedicated, proper care facilities for mentally ill people involved in the criminal justice system.
This report is a transcript of a televised evening news broadcast, with all Kriol language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system.