Collin Francis Jr. pleads guilty to manslaughter in Nestor Vasquez death and attempted murder in nurse stabbing

By Breaking Belize News Staff: Collin Francis Jr. pleaded guilty in the High Court on Tuesday to manslaughter in the death of 60-year-old Nestor Vasquez and attempted murder in the stabbing of psychiatric nurse Augustina Elijio.

Justice Nigel Pilgrim accepted the pleas and scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2026, following mitigation. The court ordered a social inquiry report, prison report and victim impact statements in both cases.

Francis was initially charged with murder in Vasquez’s death, but the Crown accepted a manslaughter plea based on diminished responsibility. Medical records showed that Francis was experiencing an acute psychotic episode and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at the time.

Elijio was attacked on June 4, 2019, at the Port Loyola Mental Health Clinic, where Francis had gone seeking treatment. She was stabbed in the right breast and rib cage, suffering injuries classified as grievous harm.

Two days later, while Francis was detained at the Queen Street Police Station, Vasquez was found badly beaten in a pool of blood inside the cell area. Vasquez died on June 8, 2019, from blunt-force traumatic injuries to the head.

Francis was previously deemed unfit to plead in 2024 and underwent psychiatric evaluations every six months. A recent evaluation found that he was stable while taking his medication and abstaining from marijuana.

He has been on remand since June 2019.

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