A U.S. Navy officer is facing serious charges after being accused of orchestrating a hit on the daughter of a Jamaican politician and the child’s mother.
Leoda Bradshaw is now charged with capital murder and kidnapping in connection to the tragic deaths of Phillip Paulwell’s 10-month-old daughter, Sarayah Paulwell, and 27-year-old Toshyna Patterson, as reported by the Jamaica Observer, citing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Phillip Paulwell, aged 61, is a Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal and shares a child with Bradshaw. They were reported to be in a relationship, with Bradshaw considering him her spouse.
Authorities allege that Bradshaw hatched a plan to have three individuals carry out the crime when she arrived in Jamaica in early September. These individuals have been identified as Richard Brown, Roshane Miller, and her cousin, Roland Balfour.
The plan included payment to these men for the successful execution of the crime, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The victims, Sarayah and Patterson, were abducted from their Kingston home on September 9. They were taken about 20 minutes away to St. Andrew, where the men allegedly murdered them.
According to a timeline provided by CVM Television, Phillip Paulwell offered a $500,000 reward for information on the victims’ whereabouts just days after their disappearance was reported. Police later confirmed the murder of the two, with their bodies having been burned. The indictment alleges that Bradshaw, a U.S. citizen, devised the plan after discovering that Paulwell had a child with Patterson.
In response to the incident, Paulwell released a statement expressing his heartbreak and a hope that those involved will be “punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Nothing could have prepared me for the events that unfolded since last week Thursday and the alleged discoveries. That anyone could murder a mother and an innocent baby is unimaginable, and my heart is heavy with sadness,” the statement read. “I am praying for Toshyna’s family, who I know are experiencing the unbearable grief and pain of losing their beloved daughter and granddaughter.”
Brown, Miller, and Balfour are also facing similar charges, as per the Jamaica Observer. Bradshaw and her cousin are expected to appear in court again in December.
The U.S. Navy confirmed that Bradshaw was a petty officer stationed in Miami, Florida, and stated that it “takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and is fully cooperating with appropriate investigative and law enforcement authorities,” as reported by NBC Miami.
In a video, Bradshaw is seen leaving a recent court appearance with her face concealed. On September 10, she issued a statement denying involvement in the victims’ disappearance and claimed that their interaction was exclusively online. She mentioned that her daughter received threats and explicit photos online, which were reported to the FBI and Jamaican officials. Despite these actions, the threats persisted.
Bradshaw explained that she received an email on September 5, informing her that Phillip had a brief relationship with Patterson and that a DNA test was needed to confirm whether her child was his. She reached out to Patterson to discuss this possibility and shared the information with authorities.
“I will continue to pray for the safe return of Ms. Patterson and her baby and ask anyone with information to contact the police,” she said.
