St Andrew woman, brother get 88-year prison sentences for triple murder, arson

A St Andrew woman and her brother have been sentenced to a total of 88 years in prison for the 2018 murder of a mother and her two children in Mavis Bank, St Andrew.

Jamelia Leslie, 28, and Javone Leslie were sentenced by high court judge Lorna Shelly-Williams on Friday.

The Leslie siblings had pleaded guilty to arson and the murders of Kashief Jackson and her two children, one of whom was only a week old.

In passing sentence, Shelly-Williams said it was the worst case she has ever seen.

SENTENCES
Count 1 – For the murder of Kasheif Jackson, mother – 36 years
Count 2–  For the murder of the deceased’s two-year-old child – 21 years
Count 3 – For the murder of the deceased’s seven-day-old child – 21 years
Count 4 – For arson – 10 years

However, the sentences are to run at the same time, which means the siblings will only serve 36 years behind bars.

Quality control inspector Jamelia Leslie and her brother murdered Jackson and the woman’s two toddlers in a case of jealousy.

Jamelia had a four-year-old child with Jackson’s common-law husband, Arnel Williams, a 42-year-old farmer.

In fact, at the time of the incident, Jamelia and Williams were still in an intimate relationship.

However, Williams lived with the deceased and their children.

Williams, had given a statement, admitting that he knew about threats Jamelia made to the deceased.

He also stated that Jameila was financially supporting him and the children he shared with the deceased.

About 10:15 a.m on July 18, 2018, the deceased, Kashief Jackson, her two-year-old child and seven-day-old baby were found dead inside their burnt out home.

There was no sign of forced entry.  

STAB WOUNDS

The post mortem examination revealed that the deceased received several stab wounds to the face, chest, abdomen, arms and neck.

However, the cause of the death was stab wounds inflicted to the neck and smoke inhalation.

The cause of the death for the deceased’s two children was determined to be smoke inhalation.

The police, acting on intelligence, conducted an operation in the Guava Ridge community of Mavis Bank where the siblings were arrested at their home.

During a search of Javone Leslie’s room, the police found two knives and a lime-green t-shirt with what appeared to be blood stains.

On the night of the incident, he and his sister had walked from Guava Ridge to Tower Hill and used a key to open the door of the deceased.

Jameila admitted to stabbing the deceased twice with a kitchen knife while her brother held the deceased.

She also said her brother inflicted the wounds to the woman's neck.

Jameila further stated that she moved the deceased’s children to safety out of the wrestling and that she attempted to start a fire on the stove but there was no gas.

She said her brother then used a lighter from the house to ignite the mattress and they both left the scene.

Javone had told investigators that his sister asked him to follow her to Jackson house telling him that she had received threats from the deceased.

He stated that the deceased fought but he held her while his sister inflicted multiple stab wounds.

Javone said his sister then set the bed ablaze and he saw her take up the babies one by one.

He said he left the scene hurriedly due to fear but asserted that he did not stab the deceased.

The siblings both maintained in their caution statements that they thought no harm would come to the children.

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