A deputy superintendent of police from the Communications Forensic and Cybercrime Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force told the court on Thursday, during the murder trial of Everton “Beachy Stout” McDonald, that he has received adequate training that would enable him to properly investigate and analyse cellular phone and call data linked to the case.

Beachy Stout is on trial for the July 20, 2020 murder of his second wife, Tonia McDonald.

The policeman was the latest witness to take the stand and give testimony in the case in the Home Circuit Court.

The case, after seeing more than 10 witnesses take the stand since the trial started in September last year, is now at the point where cellphones, cellphone numbers as well as call recordings said to be linked to the matter are taking centre stage.

Trying to establish credibility and that he has experience in such matters regarding the assessment of telephone records and technological devices, the deputy superintendent said he has received training from United States and United Kingdom experts in forensic communication analysis.

“I have been trained and certified in social media, gang and cyber investigations. I was also trained in cyber 360. I have been to the UK, Argentina, India and the United States. I received training in new techniques in cyber investigations,” said the police officer, who also informed the court that he has supervisory responsibility for 10 cyber analysts. “I supervise what they do and I also train them in communications analysis. I have trained over 20 members; I have been to training put on by the Criminal Investigations Branch,” he said.

The deputy superintendent told the court that, initially, four cellphone numbers were submitted to his division for analysis; however, additional numbers came up on the radar during the analysis of data linked to the first four numbers.

Beachy Stout and a man by the name of Oscar Barnes are on trial for the murder of Tonia McDonald, who was brutally stabbed to death and her body burned.

After her murder, police held Denvalyn “Bubbla” Minott in connection with the crime. He confessed to being the contractor in the killing and alleged that he only watched as the man he subcontracted stabbed Tonia to death before setting the car she was driving on fire.

After the murder, Minott, who became State witness and agreed to give evidence in the matter, claimed that he was promised $3 million by Beachy Stout to kill Tonia. He claimed in court that he had promised Barnes that he would get the $3 million if he completed the job.

Minott claimed that Barnes was pressing for the money and each time he was pressed he would call Beachy Stout.

Some of the alleged controversial recordings were said to have been recorded by Bubbla during those phone calls.

Everton “Beachy Stout” McDonald (right) and his now-deceased second wife, Tonia McDonald, in an undated photo.