Fingerprints, phone data, CCTV used to link duo to Butler murder

Cellular phone data along with video surveillance have caused Arien Fahie to be labelled as the triggerman in the June 21st robbery and murder of Corey Butler.

This was among the allegations presented to the court when Fahie and his co-accused Akeem Durrant appeared before Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards on Tuesday, July 26.

Besides murder and robbery, the accused duo is also charged with possession of a controlled drug — mainly cannabis — and possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

The shooting

It is alleged that around 8 am on June 21, CCTV surveillance captured Butler’s vehicle parked along a white and grey concrete building which housed RiteWay Supermarket near an area known as ‘The Ghetto’.

The prosecution alleged that around 5 pm, a white Kia Soul drove into the car lot and parked behind the victim’s vehicle. Prosecution alleged that at around 6:35 pm, the lights of the victim’s vehicle lit up and the victim approached the car. Two unknown assailants, with faces covered and one with a firearm, exited the Kia Soul and rushed towards the victim and restrained him at gunpoint.

The court was told it appeared as if Butler was caught off-guard, and he fought back, and a scuffle ensued. The Prosecution alleged that the armed assailant shot the victim who surrendered.

The court was then told that the two assailants took Butler’s jewellery, and other personal items before fleeing the scene. The prosecution claimed that the incident lasted approximately one minute and Butler remained on the ground for a short while before he was taken to the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A witness

According to prosecutors, a confidential source approached police and provided them with information which was corroborated during investigations. The court was told the investigations revealed that Fahie was involved in the death of Butler.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder and a cellular phone was recovered from his house along with a brown paper bag containing a green vegetable matter resembling marijuana. However, the prosecution said Fahie denied knowledge of the bag.

The court was informed that data recovered from Fahie’s phone showed, among others things, recent photographs of him wearing similar clothes to that of the shooter observed in CCTV footage of the area where the crime occurred.

When police went to Fahie’s home for further questioning, he was nowhere to be found. He was eventually found recently in the US Virgin Islands.

Fingerprint match allegedly links Durrant to murder

Meanwhile, the court heard that Durrant was identified as one person involved in the shooting because CCTV footage showed one of the unidentified assailants touching Butler’s car and the latent fingerprint was lifted, according to the prosecution. The prints were analysed and showed similarities with Durrant’s. He was subsequently arrested the following day on suspicion of murder.

His fingerprints were taken and a further comparison was done with the latent prints taken from the vehicle and analysis by local and regional authorities found it to be a match.

The court was also informed that police retrieved a knapsack from Durrant which contained some dismantled gold jewellery. The following day, a search warrant was executed on his home and 128 grams of a packaged green vegetable matter was found, the Prosecution stated.

Durrant confirmed it was marijuana and that he was the owner of it.

Rental vehicle used in shooting

Additionally, the Prosecution alleged that the white Kia Soul – the getaway car – was rented by someone known to law enforcement. The court was told, however, that an unknown person returned the vehicle.

The person was described as slim with locks and facial hair, according to the Prosecution.

The court was told the person was later revealed to be Durrant. It was said the vehicle was also returned with a strong scent of marijuana.

The accused men are scheduled to return to court on September 20. Both are unrepresented.