Man pleads guilty to manslaughter over fatal beating; awaits sentencing

One month after his murder trial ended in a hung jury, Sterfon Barlow appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter over fatally beating a man on July 2, 2016. Barlow and Alexis Turpin were jointly charged with murdering Sherwin Johnson.

While Turpin is awaiting a retrial as a result of the hung jury, Barlow has opted to plead guilty to a manslaughter charge. The confessed killer will be sentenced on April 14, 2021, when he makes another appearance before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the High Court in Demerara.

Barlow was represented by Attorney-at-law Clyde Forde, while the case for the prosecution was presented by State Counsel Tyra Bakker. According to reports, Turpin and Johnson shared a relationship and lived together with their child at Lodge, Georgetown. On the day in question, Johnson reportedly came home and found Turpin in bed with Barlow. A fight ensued between the three of them.

It is alleged that during the fight, Turpin and Barlow teamed up against Johnson. They allegedly used a crowbar, pieces of wood, and a knife to inflict injuries on Johnson. After the beating, Johnson was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remained hospitalized for several days. A joint attempted murder charge was brought against Turpin and Barlow.

After Johnson died, the charge against them was upgraded to murder.