Portland businessman Everton “Beachy Stout” McDonald and his co-accused Oscar Barnes, who have been charged with the murder of McDonald’s second wife Tonia, have opted to be tried by a jury.

The trial is expected to begin in the Home Circuit Division of the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston on September 18, 2023 and will run for seven weeks ending on November 3.

The decision was disclosed on Thursday morning during the continuing pretrial hearing in the matter.

McDonald was charged for the 2020 murder of Tonia in August of that year. He and Barnes are standing trial together for that matter.

Prosecutors on Thursday said the Crown will be calling 25 witnesses, seven witnesses will be called for McDonald who is being represented by three attorneys and two for Barnes who has one attorney. Barnes will be called as one of the two witnesses being called in his defence the court was told.

McDonald was ordered remanded while Barnes had his bail extended.

In the meantime, McDonald, who is also charged for the 2009 murder of his first wife Marlene, is to be tried for that matter in January 2024. He will be tried alone. The mode of trial for that matter has however not been disclosed. Investigators reopened that case in 2020 following the murder of Tonia.