Appeals of deceased Bartica massacre convicts dismissed, survivors receive new life sentences

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals of two deceased Bartica massacre convicts, Mark Royden Williams and Dennis Williams, ruling that appeals are personal rights that end when an appellant dies.

Royden Williams died in 2023 after escaping custody and being killed while at large, and Dennis Williams passed away in July 2024. The court noted that Royden Williams’ escape removed him from the legal system, supporting the decision not to continue his appeal.

The court then resentenced the two surviving convicts, Michael Caesar and Clebert Reece, who had pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Caesar, covering both the Lusignan and Bartica killings, received life imprisonment with 38 years before parole for Lusignan, reduced by eight years for time on remand, and life with 40 years before parole for Bartica. Both sentences will run concurrently. The court noted Caesar’s repeated violent conduct and disregard for the lives of others.

Reece, who did not carry or fire a weapon, was sentenced to life imprisonment with 26 years before parole, also running concurrently with Caesar. The court considered his clean prior record, fear for his family, and rehabilitation efforts while incarcerated.