DEVON Harry was this week sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment for the 2021 murder of 25-year-old Keon McPherson, bringing an end to a case in which three of his co-accused were acquitted following a High Court trial that concluded in March 2026.

The sentence was imposed by Justice Gino Persaud at the Demerara Criminal Assizes after a jury found Harry guilty of murder. The court ordered that the Guyana Prison Service deduct the entirety of his pre-trial custody from the sentence. Justice Persaud also directed that Harry participates in anger management programmes offered by the prison service.

Harry was represented by attorney-at-law Ronald Bostwick.

The prosecution’s case was led by State Counsel, Delon Fraser, assisted by State Counsel Padma Dubraj and State Counsel Mtumika Lumumba.

Harry had stood trial alongside Nicholas Hercules, Brenna Nurse and Peter Lam for the fatal shooting of McPherson. However, when the trial concluded in March, the jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts in favour of Hercules, Nurse and Lam, resulting in their acquittal and discharge.

The four had been jointly charged with the killing of McPherson, a resident of Lot 687 ‘D’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

McPherson’s body was discovered in a yard at ‘C’ Field, Sophia, during the early morning hours of August 15, 2021. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that the fatal shooting was preceded by an altercation between McPherson and his in-laws on August 14, 2021. Prosecutors alleged that McPherson was assaulted by Nurse and the three male accused during that confrontation.

According to reports, McPherson managed to escape and return to his home. Later that night, however, he reportedly received a telephone call from a woman and subsequently left his residence.

Several hours later, at about 04:00 hours, police were alerted after a woman contacted the command centre upon discovering a man lying motionless in a yard at ‘C’ Field, Sophia.

Investigators later confirmed that McPherson had suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest and another to his right hand.

Following the investigation, Harry, Hercules, Nurse and Lam were arrested and jointly charged with murder. They initially appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where the indictable charge was read to them and they were remanded to prison. The matter was subsequently committed to the High Court for trial before Justice Persaud.

During the proceedings, Nurse was represented by attorneys-at-law Bernard DaSilva and Shemar Parkinson.

With Harry’s sentencing now completed, he remains the only person convicted in connection with McPherson’s killing.