NASSAU, BAHAMAS — “I took away an innocent life and I know I must pay for my wrongdoing.”
Those words appear in a handwritten statement from Chris Tyrone Ferguson, the man now sentenced to 40 years in prison for the rape and murder of 12-year-old Adriel Moxey — a crime that shocked the nation and devastated a family still living with the loss.
The statement, obtained by Eyewitness News and dated December 23, 2024, was written at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters and signed by Ferguson, 39, a painter and car washer of Misty Close off Yellow Elder Road.
“I, Chris Ferguson, wish to make a statement of my own free will,” he wrote, noting he had not been forced, threatened, or promised anything in exchange.
In the document, Ferguson directly addressed the victim’s family, acknowledging the irreversible consequences of his actions.
“To the [victim’s] family I wish that I can change what I have done, but now I know it is too late,” he wrote.
He also referenced personal and spiritual struggle, writing: “I rejected God so I have no other choice to accept the consequences right now.”
Ferguson expressed remorse and requested psychological treatment while incarcerated.
“I wish that I can get mental treatment and assistance from the prison and to help me find out my mental state and to try get healthy,” he wrote.
He further admitted that he initially struggled to turn himself in, stating he “wasn’t ready to take the wrong” he had done.
He concluded with a stark acknowledgment of the permanence of his actions.
“I know sorry cannot bring back a life, but that’s all I can say right there.”
Adriel’s murder in November 2024 sent shockwaves throughout The Bahamas. The young girl was sexually assaulted and killed in a brutal attack that sparked national outrage and intensified calls for justice and stronger protections for children.
The case remained in the national spotlight as police pursued their homicide investigation, which ultimately led to Ferguson’s arrest, charge, and conviction.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court sentenced Ferguson to 40 years in prison for murder. He also received 15 years for unlawful sexual intercourse and one year for unlawful detainment with intent to have sexual intercourse. Those sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve the longest term of 40 years. He was also credited with 13 months already spent on remand.
Inside the courtroom, Adriel’s family faced the painful conclusion of a case that forever changed their lives.
Her mother said afterward she believed Ferguson should have received a life sentence.
While Ferguson’s handwritten apology speaks of remorse and accountability, it offers little comfort to a family forced to live with a permanent absence — and a child whose life was stolen.
As Ferguson wrote in his own words: “I know sorry cannot bring back
