October 19th 2023.
A U.S. Navy petty officer is facing a possible death sentence for her alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire scheme that resulted in the deaths of a woman and her 10-month-old baby in Jamaica. Leoda Vanessa Bradshaw, 34, was charged in early October 2023 with the kidnapping and murders of Toshyna Patterson, 27, and her daughter Sarayah Paulwell.
According to prosecutors, Sarayah Paulwell was the daughter of Phillip Paulwell, member of Parliament from Kingston East, with whom Bradshaw was in a relationship and had a child. It is alleged that she travelled to Jamaica on September 6, along with three other men, in order to carry out the kidnapping and killing of Patterson and her baby.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Kingston released a statement saying that the suspects allegedly made plans for the murder plot between September 6 and 9, before carrying it out on the 9th. Jamaica Constabulary Force Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey referred to the case as “one of the most painful investigations” after revealing that the bodies had been burned and disposed of.
Bradshaw was indicted on two counts of conspiracy to kidnap, two counts of conspiracy to murder, two counts of kidnapping, and two counts of capital murder. The other suspects, Richard Brown, Roshane Miller and Roland Balfour, were indicted on several charges including conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, murder and accessory before the fact to kidnapping.
Phillip Paulwell wrote a heart-wrenching statement on Instagram on September 15, shortly after their kidnapping. He described it as “the most difficult thing [he] had ever had to navigate”. In response, Bradshaw released a statement claiming her innocence and that her involvement with the victim was solely online.
The Navy confirmed that Bradshaw was a petty officer assigned to a talent acquisition team in Miami, and that they “take all allegations of misconduct seriously.” This case serves as a reminder of the tragic consequences of such heinous acts.
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