Sentencing deferred in Geddes murder case

WESTERN BUREAU:

Yesterday’s sentencing of 39-year-old Nadeen Geddes, the Trelawny woman who, along with her two daughters, pleaded guilty to participating in the murder of her sister by a hitman last year, was postponed because of the absence of the antecedent report, which forms a part of the sentencing requirements.

Geddes and her daughters, 22-year-old Shanice Ruddock and 16-year-old Janelle Smith, had previously pleaded guilty to the killing of 36-year-old Tamara Geddes, who resided in Reserve district, also in Trelawny, at the time of her death.

When the trio appeared in the Duncans Circuit Court yesterday, sentencing was postponed until March 2.

“In matters such as these, it is a requirement that the antecedent report is presented in court; hence, the postponement,” attorney-at-law C.J. Mitchell, who is representing Geddes and Ruddock, explained after the hearing. “Bail for the daughters has been extended, but mother Nadeen has been remanded.”

Smith, who is represented by attorney Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, and Shanice were said to have been aware of the crime but took no steps to report what they knew.

In a previous hearing, the court was told that in a caution statement given to the police on July 14, 2020, Nadeen stated that Tamara had damaged her 200-gallon water tank, which sparked her anger.

The statement added that after the killing, Nadeen told her daughters, “Nuh tell nobody nutten.”

It was also revealed in court that Nadeen Geddes had paid $150,000 to get her younger sister killed. The alleged hitman, who has been identified as Bryan Shelly, was subsequently arrested and charged. His case is still before the court.

On the night of the murder, the killer reportedly barged into Tamara’s bedroom and after robbing her of two cellular phones, he demanded that she have sex with him. His demand was rejected and he then opened gunfire at Geddes, killing her before her six-year-old daughter.

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