Guard in ‘Slickianna’ murder case to stand trial
Published:Saturday | May 6, 2023 | 12:54 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
ROHAN ROSE, the security guard charged with misprision of a felony about the 2022 murder of social media influencer Aneka ‘Slickianna’ Townsend, has been committed to stand trial in the St James Circuit Court on September 21.
The 47-year-old Rose, who is of a Hanover address, had his bail extended after being given the trial date by presiding High Court Justice Andrea Thomas yesterday. The September 21 date was canvassed and agreed to by Rose’s lawyer Martyn Thomas and the prosecution before Rose’s brief appearance before the court.
The misprision charge against Rose stemmed from the fact that he was aware that a felony was committed, but failed to inform the authorities. Rose was reportedly told about Townsend’s killing by Rushawn Patterson, the man charged with her murder. However, he did not report the matter to the police.
Townsend’s body was retrieved from the sea off the Reading coastline, in St James, on the morning of Friday, October 21, 2022, by the marine police. A subsequent post-mortem examination concluded that she had been strangled.
According to the allegations, Rose was arrested and charged on November 4, two days after Patterson was arrested in a special police operation. Rose subsequently gave the police a statement regarding Patterson, which led to the latter being formally charged with Townsend’s murder on November 11.
While Rose is currently out on bail, Patterson was denied bail when he last appeared in the St James Circuit Court on March 21, despite claims by his lawyer Dionne Meyler-Barrett that attempts were made to harm him in custody. Patterson is scheduled to return to court on September 21.
Patterson is also facing charges in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for an unrelated case of assault that occurred in the St Andrew South police division. In that case, which stemmed from a 2018 incident, it is alleged that he physically assaulted a woman in a jealous rage.
Since Patterson’s latest arrest, a bulletin was put out by the police asking for any other persons who might have been harmed by him to come forward and provide a report. It is suspected that he may have been involved in similar incidents, which were not reported.