A multi-agency probe on Thursday ended with former People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament Jolyan Silvera taken into custody in connection with the murder of his wife Melissa.

In a late-evening audio release Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of crime Fitz Bailey underscored that when Melissa Silvera was found dead in the couple’s Stony Hill, St Andrew, home on November 10, 2023 it was initially assumed that she had died from natural causes.

“After the autopsy report it was revealed that Mrs Silvera had not died from natural causes but as a result of possible gunshot wounds. As a consequence, the police elevated the investigation into a murder investigation,” said Bailey.

He pointed out that to avoid any suspicion of a cover-up, the probe was moved to the Major Investigation Division and several lines of enquiry drawn.

“Having satisfied ourselves that there is sufficient evidence to mount a viable prosecution, as a consequence consultation was made with the offices of the director of public prosecutions who concurred with our findings.

“As a consequence, Jolyan Silvera, the husband of the deceased… has been taken into custody as a suspect in this case,” added Bailey as he underscored that the police are determined to find the truth.

Forty-two-year-old Melissa Silvera was laid to rest last Friday after her funeral at St Andrew Parish Church.

In his tribute, eloquently delivered by his mother Cynthia Silvera while he wept openly and sought solace in the embrace of their three boys, Jolyan described his late wife as a comforting beacon of inspiration and enduring love. The void left by her physical absence was acknowledged, and Jolyan, through his mother, expressed his commitment to carrying forward the flames of her love.

One particularly resonant quote shared during the former MP’s tribute encapsulated the essence of Melissa’s character: “Aristotle said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit.’ This was Melissa.”

Silvera won the St Mary Western seat for the PNP in 2011 but lost in 2016 General Election and did not contest the seat in 2020.