Alleged trigger-man charged in Paulwell, Patterson murder case

The man fingered as the trigger-man in the murder and abduction of Opposition lawmaker Phillip Paulwell’s infant daughter Sarayah and her mother, Toshyna Patterson, was charged earlier this month and is to make his second appearance in the Home Circuit Court on February 9.

The defendant, Bjon Black, who was arrested last December, is facing two counts each of murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, and conspiracy to kidnapping.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) disclosed in a media release yesterday that Black made his first appearance in the high court on January 17 and was remanded after he was charged five days earlier.

According to the ODPP, Black bypassed proceedings in the parish court after he was placed before the Home Circuit Court on a voluntary bill of indictment.

Black, who is the fifth person charged in connection with the murder and abduction, is to indicate to the court whether he has settled his legal representation.

The Crown will also provide an update on the state of his case.

Abducted from home

Ten-month-old Sarayah Paulwell and her mother, 27-year-old Patterson, were abducted from their home on Gilmour Drive in St Andrew on September 9.

They were allegedly taken to east Kingston and shot and killed and their bodies burnt.

The alleged mastermind, a United States Navy petty officer, Leoda Bradshaw, who is Paulwell’s companion, is among five persons arrested in connection with the shocking and gruesome crime.

She and her cousin, Roland Balfour, who is also implicated in the murder, remain in custody, and both are to return to court on March 6 next year.

Bradshaw, who also shares a child with Paulwell, was charged with two counts each of capital murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to kidnapping.

Balfour was charged with two counts each of accessory before the fact to kidnapping and accessory before the fact to murder.

According to the allegations outlined by the prosecution, Bradshaw plotted the murder and abduction of the mother and her daughter after learning about the infant’s existence.

Down payment

She is alleged to have travelled to Jamaica a day after confronting the mother about the baby and came to the island with the sole purpose of eliminating the mother and child.

Bradshaw is alleged to have paid J$100,000 in the US currency equivalent to the hitmen as part of a down payment for the J$500,000 hit.

It is also alleged that with the help of her cousin and co-defendant, she contracted men, including Rushane Miller and Richard Brown, to kidnap and murder the mother and daughter.

Meanwhile, the other two persons, Miller and Brown, who were arrested, have since pleaded guilty and were sentenced.

Miller was sentenced to seven years and 10 months for two counts of conspiracy to kidnap, two counts of accessory before the fact of murder, and two counts of misprision of felony.

Brown pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and was sentenced to 30 years.

In the meantime, the ODPP has revealed that Black is also facing gun charges in relation to another case.

He was charged with possession of prohibited weapon, unauthorised possession of ammunition, and dealing in prohibited weapon last December 20, 2023.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com