In 1991, Tony Egbuna Ford gave a ride to two brothers, Van and Victor Belton. He drove the brothers at their request to a nearby residence of the Murillo Family and waited in the truck for them as they entered the house. Tony was unaware and had no idea that the brothers were planning to kill people. Inside, an argument broke out that ended in a fatal shooting. During the course of the crime, the person who broke into the house with Van Belton shot and killed Armando Murillo and attempted to kill Ms. Murillo and her two daughters. The trial turned on the testimony of Armando’s two sisters, who claimed to identify Tony as the other intruder, the shooter. At trial, he testified in his own defense. Tony was arrested on December 19, 1991 - at the age of 18 - the day after the offense. He was indicted on one count of capital murder and three counts of attempted capital murder. The Evidence Shows that a search of the homes of both the Belton brothers and Tony Ford followed. At the Beltons’ residence, police found stolen property from the victims, 22 caliber bullets consistent with the type of weapon believed to have been used in the crime. At Tony’s home, nothing at all was found that connected him to the crime. No forensic proof, no physical evidence, no weapon, no stolen items was found in his possession. The only two eyewitnesses, sisters of the victim, initially expressed uncertainty about Tony’s identity, but later testified against him under pressure. Prior to the start of the trial, the court reporter overheard a conversation between the sisters and an assistant district attorney in the courtroom. When asked whether Tony was the person who shot their brother, both sisters reportedly responded with uncertainty, saying 'it kind of looks like him'. Myra Murillo recognized Van Belton as one of the intruders because she had seen him in her neighbourhood. According to three individuals who knew Victor Belton, he allegedly stated, between the time of the crime and the trial, that he had killed Armando Murillo and gotten away with it.  Neighbors observed – consistent with Tony’s trial testimony – that three people were involved in the crime, one of whom waited outside in a vehicle. Tony’s conviction has long been criticized for multiple reasons. For over 30 years, Tony has maintained his innocence and continues to fight for justice with unwavering strength, dignity, and truth. The case has never undergone a full independent reinvestigation, despite growing concern about wrongful convictions from this era. In multiple rounds of DNA testing, not a single piece of biological evidence connected Tony to the crime scene. 

Despite all this, Tony was sentenced to death at an age when life should just begin. A sentence so final and traumatic that it has left wounds no one can imagine, but he has carried for decades.

Tony’s fight for freedom is not over- and with your support, it can be won. By signing the petition, sharing his fight and standing with us, you help expose injustice and open the door to hope, dignity and truth. Together, we can end decades of silence and give Tony his freedom back.