Man involved in the killing of Paulwell's daughter and her mother to learn fate nest month

June 24, 2026
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A man who admitted his role in the abduction and murder of politician Phillip Paulwell's 10-month-old daughter, Sarayah, and her mother, Toshyna Patterson, is expected to learn his fate next month.

David Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the September 2023 killings.

The sentencing date was set on Monday when the matter came up for a plea and case management hearing in the Home Circuit Court.

Smith, who pleaded guilty on June 10, faces two counts each of capital murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.

He is among several people charged in connection with the deaths of baby Sarayah and her 27-year-old mother.

Also before the court is Leoda Bradshaw, the alleged mastermind in the case. Bradshaw, a former United States Navy petty officer, was reportedly involved in a relationship with Phillip Paulwell and is the mother of one of his children.

Bradshaw faces two counts each of capital murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.

She is jointly charged with Roland Balfour and Bjorn Black.

Balfour, who is Bradshaw's cousin, is charged with two counts each of accessory before the fact to murder and kidnapping, while Black faces murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to kidnap and several firearm-related charges.

Prosecutors allege that Sarayah and Patterson were abducted from their St Andrew home on September 9, 2023. Investigators say they were taken to east Kingston, where they were shot dead and their bodies later burned.

Two other men linked to the case, Richard Brown and Roshane Miller, have already pleaded guilty to related offences and have since been sentenced.

The remaining accused are scheduled to return to court on September 17 for a trial-readiness hearing ahead of their trial, which is set to begin on September 28.

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