Convicted contract killer of Portland businesswoman denies lying to get plea deal

The convicted contract killer in the murder of Portland businesswoman Tonia McDonald this morning rejected a suggestion that he is a "liar" and a "conman" who had scammed the Office of the Director of Prosecutions out of a 10-year plea deal.

The prosecution's star witness also denied that it was he who had murdered the 32-year-old woman and had hatched the murder plan with a former employee of Tonia's husband.

Denvalyn 'Bubbla' Minott had testified that Everton 'Beachy Stout' McDonald had offered him $3 million to murder his wife, Tonia.

The 48-year-old fisherman pleaded guilty to his role in Tonia's July 2020 murder and was sentenced to 19 years in prison with an order that he served 10 years before being eligible for parole.

Minott earlier testified that he was unable to murder the woman with whom he had a secret love affair and instead sub-contracted Oscar Barnes.

According to him, he lured the woman to a deserted area in Sherwood Forest in Portland and watched as she was stabbed multiple times allegedly by Barnes.

Beachy, who had his head down for most of the hearing, and Barnes are both on trial in the Home Circuit Court for Tonia' murder.

Minott, under further cross-examination from attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend, also denied a suggestion that he had lied about meeting Beachy in his office and that he made him an offer to kill his wife.

"You never have no telephone conversation with Mr McDonald about killing his wife," Townsend suggested.

"Him call me nuff times," Minott replied.

Not pleased with the follow-up suggestion that he is lying, a slightly peeved Minott said, " Mi did deh deh, you nah go tell me mi. A hear yuh hear but ah see mi see."

Townsend further told him that he was the one who had killed Tonia and had planned her murder with someone else. 

Minott, after enquiring about the person's identity and being told that it was his friend, testily said, " Just like you friend Mr McDonald who you ah tell lie fah.".

Townsend then suggested that he had not only scammed the DPP's office out of plea deal but was also trying to scam the court and jury with lies.

Minott, who had earlier denied that he was scamming the Director of Public Prosecutions and that she needed "har justice", however, disagreed.

- Tanesha Mundle

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