ALVIN Reid, called ‘Satan’, who was on trial for the 2016 murder of 14-year-old Malika Hamilton, was, on Tuesday, found not guilty of the crime by a 12-member jury.

Reid, formerly of Nimrod Street, Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD) appeared before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Demerara High Court.

He had pleaded not guilty to the indictment which read that, between August 8 and August 9, 2016, he murdered Hamilton.

The 12-member jury, after deliberating for two hours on Tuesday afternoon, found Reid not guilty of the capital offence.

He was represented by attorneys-at-law Konyo Sandiford and Iyanna Butts, while prosecutors Gajraj, Muntaz Ali and Taneisha Saygon were on record for the State.

The ‘Miss African Calabash 2014’ beauty queen had left her home at Two Friends Village, Ann’s Grove, ECD, but never returned.

According to reports, the deceased and the accused were known to each other and on August 8, 2016, they went to swim at Hope Canal. The teenager was never seen alive again. Her body was discovered the following day in the canal.

Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, conducted an autopsy on the teen’s body and concluded that she had been brutally bludgeoned to her head, strangled and dumped in the canal while still alive.

Police later went searching for Reid and found him hiding in a barrel at a relative’s house. He was subsequently charged and remanded.

In 2018, Reid was discharged from the offence by Magistrate Peter Hugh due to insufficient evidence. Police, however, filed new evidence for the case and Reid was recharged.

Magistrate Hugh based on the new evidence that was submitted, committed Reid to stand trial for murder.

In 2019, Reid was “accidentally” released from prison while on remand. After eluding the police for three years, he was arrested last month in Ann’s Grove.