ST JAMES, Jamaica – Incomplete files have once again delayed the case against Rushawn Patterson, the man charged in connection with the October 2022 murder of social media influencer Aneika ‘Slickianna’ Townsend to October 15.

The new date was set when the case was called up before Supreme Court Judge, Justice Judith Pusey in the St James Circuit Court on Friday.

On Friday, the court was told that several files remained outstanding. These include a chain-of-custody statement; and a Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Communication Forensics and Cyber-Crime Unit, statements from a justice of the peace.

Patterson’s lawyer, Dionne Meyler, requested that her client’s motor car be released to him from the custody of the police but Justice Pusey instructed Meyler to place the request in writing.

The outstanding files are expected to be ready within three months and as a result, the October date was set.

Patterson’s bail was also extended.

The case has experienced multiple delays in recent times. An outstanding postmortem report resulted in a delay on October 24, 2014. At that time, it was presided over by Supreme Court Judge, Justice Bertram Morrison

Prior to that, the case was delayed on October 18. All cases set for that date were called up unplanned a day earlier. It was on October 17 that the October 24 date was set.

On September 23, the case was also delayed due to the outstanding postmortem report of Slickianna and the DNA results.

All files are needed by the court for a trial date to be set.

Townsend’s scantily clad body was retrieved from the sea in Reading, St James on October 21, 2022.

On November 11, the police had stated that Townsend travelled from Kingston to Montego Bay where she was picked up by Patterson at approximately 7:30 pm on October 20. During the evening, they visited a restaurant in Hanover and a guest house in St James.

At some point during the night, an argument reportedly developed between them. Patterson is accused of strangling Townsend and disposing of her body.

Patterson was named as a person of interest on October 22. He was picked up at a guest house in Hanover by a Police Area One operational team on November 2 after missing at least two deadlines to turn himself in.

— Anthony Lewis