Guilty of murdering Coast Guard officer

The jury of ten women and two men returned the unanimous verdict at 3:35 p.m. yesterday after deliberating for about two hours and 15 minutes in the No. 2A Supreme Court. The verdict followed Justice Elwood Watts’ two-part summation which began on Monday and resumed yesterday.

Watson, 33, of Lakes Village, St Andrew, had his bail instantly revoked and he was taken into custody until May 30, with the court also ordering a presentencing report for that date.

Statement

Prosecutor Principal State Counsel Oliver Thomas, in association with State Counsel Dr Zoe King, had urged the jurors to find Watson guilty of the August 2020 death of Thompson, based on evidence that included his statement about being present throughout the killing, a burnt belt buckle, part of a chain and a watch recovered from the murder scene at Ashford, St John, and cell phone calls between Watson’s number and Thompson’s the day the latter disappeared.

Watson, his friends Shaulon Rashidi Collymore, 28, also of Lakes Village, and Shaquille Jesse Romeo Goodridge, 30, of Belleplaine, all in St Andrew, were charged with murdering Thompson, of Mount Standfast, St James, between August 23 and 26, 2020. Collymore, whom the prosecution maintained was the mastermind behind the killing, and Goodridge pleaded guilty to murder on February 24 but Watson elected to fight the case.

Prosecutor Thomas said Thompson had been betrayed by Collymore, a friend from secondary school and a colleague in the Coast Guard. Thompson had kept after Collymore about money after a sale arrangement involving a motorcycle and a chain soured. Thompson had become frustrated with Collymore constantly turning him around each time they were supposed to meet and settle the matter.

Collymore and Goodridge recruited Watson to get Thompson to the remote Jack-in-the-Box, St Thomas, on August 23 as cell phone

records showed calls between the two numbers.

At that location, the three launched the first attack where Goodridge “grabble up” Thompson and from there it was a beating, stabbing, a tying of his hands and Thompson’s eventual abduction to the outof- the-way Ashford, using his car, driven by Goodridge with Watson as a passenger.

When they arrived in St John, the three contemplated whether they should go to St Philip but there was not enough gas and it was at that point they lit the car with Thompson in it.

Identifying items

Jurors watched the video confession Watson gave to the police, his identifying items recovered from the burnt body and him pointing out several locations to the police, including the areas when Thompson was attacked and burnt, and where Collymore collected Watson on August 23.

Pathologist Dr Stephen Jones’ report stated putrid decay and active maggot infestation with migration out of the body. Watson, represented by attorney Kendrid Sargeant, maintained that while he was present, he did not stab Thompson when he was instructed to do so and he was unable to light the car, at which point one of his co-accused stepped in and did it.

He said he believed Thompson was already dead at that point. (AC)