Murder accused gunned down

A St James woman who was on bail in a murder case was gunned down in front of her business place in Westmoreland late last week.

She has been identified as Sudean Hylton. She was arrested and charged for the August 12, 2021, shooting death of Glendevon businessman Richard 'Jimmy' Baker. According to reports, the 34-year-old Hylton, who was originally from Glendevon, was confronted by three men armed with handguns. The men reportedly pumped more than 40 bullets into her body, killing her on the spot. In confirming Hylton's death, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifford Chambers, the police commander for Area One, labelled her as a gangster. Baker was killed in a drive-by shooting along Salt Spring Road main road, also in St James.

According to reports, on the day of Baker's murder, he was driving along the Salt Spring main road when he stopped to investigate an unusual sound on his car. As he exited his vehicle, a white Toyota Axio motor car reportedly pulled up alongside him and the occupants opened gunfire on him, hitting him multiple times. The car then sped off. Baker managed to drive away in the direction of the Cornwall Regional Hospital. He encountered a police patrol and told them what had happened, gave them a description of the car, and pointed them in the direction it went. He was subsequently transported to the hospital, where he died while being treated.

The police then went in search of the shooters' car and spotted it in the vicinity of Sam Sharpe Square. When ordered to pull over, Hylton, who was at the steering wheel, tried to drive away, but was trapped in traffic. One of the other occupants jumped from the vehicle and escaped, but Hylton and another man were held. Hylton was eventually granted bail after several attempts in the St James Parish Court, and was ordered by the court to reside outside of the parish.

On the morning of December 9, 2021, Hylton narrowly escaped death, when the car in which she was travelling was ambushed by two gunmen travelling on a motorcycle.