Jury finds two men guilty of conspiracy to murder

| 04/02/2025 | 2 Comments
Roland Welcome (left) and Antascio Rankine

(CNS): Antascio Rankine (30) and Roland Welcome (33) were convicted on Monday of conspiracy to murder Sven Brett Connor (42) following more than two days of jury deliberation. Connor was killed by a gang of men who shot what the crown called a “hail of bullets” through his bedroom window at his home on Fiddlers Way, East End, in December 2023.

Both Rankine and Welcome had denied the charges. While Welcome claimed he was coerced to look out for police officers by two unidentified but dangerous men and had nothing to do with the killing, Rankine denied having any involvement at all in the murder plot.

Four men were captured on CCTV footage in the parking lot next door to Connor’s home at around 9:45pm on the night of the murder, just minutes before the shooting, and then seen again moments afterwards.

Sven Brett Connor, Cayman News Service
Sven Brett Connor

The police identified Welcome at an early stage, and during an interview with them, he had accepted that he was one of the men but claimed he had not been involved in the shooting. Rankine was later identified as one of the men in the video who is seen taking a gun from one of the other, still unknown killers. The evidence against him came largely from an anonymous witness.

After a three-week trial, the jury of four women and eight men returned a unanimous verdict against Rankine and a ten to two majority against Welcome. Both were also found guilty of possessing an unlicensed firearm.

Connor was killed as a result of multiple gunshot wounds fired from at least two guns. The first shot hit him as he lay in his bed and the rest as he tried to get away from the shooters while he moved through his house. He eventually collapsed on the floor by his kitchen stove, where his body was found when the emergency services arrived.

Rankine and Welcome were remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing, which has been scheduled for 4 April to allow time for social inquiry reports.

CNS Note: An earlier version of the is report incorrectly indicated that the men were facing life sentences. However, conspiracy to murder unlike murder does not carry a life sentence or mandatory sentence of any kind. Possession of an unlicensed firearm however now carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years following conviction after trial.


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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (2)

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  1. Jm says:

    can we blame the DPP for this? can we blame our police for this. who do we blame for this successful Prosecution.

    when will we get it in our head that we are witnessing outstanding performance by our civil service and Judiciary

    huge thanks must also to to th brave jury.

    cayman strong

    12
  2. Anonymous says:

    Idiots on idiot situation.

    These guys would struggle to count up to their own IQ numbers.

    Please give lengthy sentences.

    11

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