Outstanding DNA report delays ‘Slickianna’ murder case

The murder trial of Rushawn Patterson who is charged for killing Aneka ‘Slickianna’ Townsend has been delayed to next year due to an outstanding DNA report.

Presiding High Court Justice Bertram Morrison ordered a bail extension for Patterson, in the St James Circuit Court this morning.

During the court hearing, the prosecution said that an outstanding post-mortem report has been added to its case-file. However, it was also disclosed that the DNA report remains outstanding for the completion of the file.

Morrison approved Patterson's attorney Dionne Meyler's request of January 31, 2025 mention date to facilitate the completion of the file and disclosure of the prosecution’s documents.

According to police reports, on October 20, 2022, Townsend and Patterson visited a restaurant in Hanover and a guest house in St James. Sometime during the night, an reportedly argument developed between the two, following which Townsend was killed and her body disposed of.

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

Patterson was arrested on November 2, 2022, during a high-level police operation.

A subsequent post-mortem three days later determined that Townsend was strangled, with death occurring sometime between 11 p.m. on Thursday, October 20 and 9 a.m. on Friday, October 21.

Patterson was then formally charged with her murder on November 11.

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