Bahamas Senior Police Officer Charged With Murder of American Man

Royal Bahamas Police Force Superintendent Berneil Pinder, 54, appeared before Nassau's Magistrate's Court in ankle cuffs on March 25, charged with the murder of Cody Castillo, a 31-year-old electrical lineman from Crawfordville, Florida, who was shot through the window of his truck after leaving a bar on West Bay Street.

Castillo was working on New Providence Island as a lineman for Pike Corporation when he encountered Pinder, who was off duty, outside Da Plantation Bar & Grill on the evening of March 21. Prosecutors allege Pinder followed Castillo to his vehicle and fired a single shot that struck Castillo in the chest through the side window of a white Ford truck belonging to Pike Corporation. Castillo was found outside the truck, face down.

The RBPF's initial statement framed the shooting as a defensive act, claiming Castillo had driven the vehicle in a threatening manner toward Pinder before the officer drew his service weapon. The U.S. Embassy in Nassau rejected that framing in pointed terms. "We note with the deepest concern media reports that the officer followed the unarmed victim to his vehicle before fatally shooting him," the embassy said. "We urge the Government of The Bahamas to ensure the victim receives justice in this case without delay."

At Magistrate's Court, Pinder's attorney Ian Cargill Sr. confirmed his client was not required to enter a plea. Pinder was remanded to prison pending a formal bail application before the Bahamian Supreme Court.

A sitting superintendent charged with murder is not a routine institutional event in Nassau. The Bahamas recorded eight police-involved shootings in 2025, and at least three more had already been documented in 2026 before this case. Prime Minister Philip Davis addressed the systemic dimension directly, calling on his government to "review the rules governing off-duty carriage of firearms, strengthen de-escalation standards, and examine less-lethal options" for law enforcement. U.S. Ambassador Herschel Walker said he was "pleased to see the Government of The Bahamas has moved to bring murder charges against the police officer accused of shooting" Castillo.

Castillo left behind his wife, Makayla, who is pregnant with their first child, a son due in August. The couple had married about a year ago. A GoFundMe established in his name has drawn attention from both the Florida community and the broader public following the case. Pinder's bail hearing before the Bahamian Supreme Court remains pending, and the Royal Bahamas Police Force faces mounting institutional scrutiny as formal prosecution takes shape.