Jolyan Silvera pleads guilty to manslaughter in wife’s death
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament Jolyan Silvera has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2023 shooting death of his wife, Melissa.
Melissa Silvera, a land developer, was found dead in the couple’s home in Stony Hill, St Andrew, on November 10, 2023. The former politician was arrested and charged in January 2024 and has been in custody since.
Police commenced a murder investigation after three bullet fragments were found inside the body of the politician’s wife. Initially, it was reported that the 42-year-old mother of four boys — one of whom predeceased her — died in her sleep from natural causes. The couple were married in 2015.
READ: Jolyan Silvera murder trial set to begin Monday
Jolyan Silvera is being represented by attorney Peter Champagnie King’s Counsel and Patrice Riley, while the Crown is being represented by prosecutors Dwayne Green and Latoya Bernard.
