Rushawn Patterson denied bail for a second time

Rushawn Patterson, the man implicated in the murder of social media influencer Aneika 'Slickianna' Townsend, was denied bail for a second time when he before the St James Circuit Court on Wednesday.

Patterson, who had previously been denied bail on March 21, was remanded by presiding High Court Justice Judith Pusey despite efforts by his lawyer Dionne Meyler-Barrett to secure bail for him.

In making the application, Meyler-Barrett argued that Patterson, who was also before the Half-Way-Tree criminal court on an unrelated assault charge from 2018, was discharged in that matter on May 18 this year following a no-evidence motion from that court.

However, the prosecution strongly opposed bail for Patterson on the grounds that he was a likely flight risk and could potentially re-offend if offered bail.

The court was also told that the post-mortem report and a scene-of-crime statement are still outstanding from the prosecution’s case-file. However, a Communication Forensic & Cyber Crime Division report was presented to Meyler-Barrett by the prosecution.

Justice Pusey subsequently set Patterson’s case for mention on December 19, at which time Meyler-Barrett is expected to make another bail application on her client’s behalf.

Townsend’s body was found floating in the sea in Reading, St James, on October 21, 2022.

A subsequent post-mortem examination on November 5 determined that she was strangled, with the death occurring sometime between 11 p.m. on Thursday, October 20 and 9 a.m. on Friday, October 21.

According to police reports, 35-year-old Townsend had travelled from Kingston to Montego Bay on October 20 and was later picked up by Patterson, following which they visited a restaurant in Hanover and a guest house in St James.

Sometime during the night, an argument developed between the two, following which Townsend was strangled and her body disposed of.

Patterson was arrested following a high-level police operation, and was formally charged with Townsend’s murder on November 11.

- Christopher Thomas

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