ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — A 10-year-old boy is now without a mother after his father allegedly killed her during a domestic dispute at the couples’ Berkshire home in St Catherine this morning.

Dead is 34-year-old Nickesha DaCosta-Walters.

She was stabbed and her throat slashed. Her son was also attacked during the incident. The police have confirmed that Peter Walters, the husband of the deceased, is now in custody.

It is alleged that Walters, who was away on the farm work programme, recently returned to the country. On his return, he heard that his wife had been unfaithful.

“He told us that he heard that she went to Linstead to collect $10,000 from a man and they were together. However, she made it clear to him that he was just a friend, and she would never cheat on him for money,” said a relative of DaCosta-Walters, who did not wish to be identified by name.

Family members said they provided guidance to Walters just days before the murder.

“We provided counselling to him when we realised they were having marital issues,” the relative said. “It was at that moment that he shared that he would never hurt his wife.”

It is alleged that Walters left the family home for a few days and returned with a rented car on Wednesday night. DaCosta-Walters is said to have refused his request for her and her son to leave with him.

“She was very suspicious, so she decided not to go,” said the relative.

That was the last time the family saw the couple together.

Relatives described Dacosta-Walters as a “hardworking mother” who tried her best to provide for her son.

This is the second woman killed during a domestic dispute in St Catherine since the start of the week.