Jolyan Silvera: not a good look
THE DEATH of Melissa Silvera and the subsequent developments arising from the investigations into the circumstances surrounding her demise have become not only a popular topic of conversation in Jamaica, but also one that has caused much outrage.
Melissa was married to Jolyan Silvera, who first came to prominence during the 2011 general election when he unseated Robert Montague to win the Western St Mary constituency for the People’s National Party (PNP). He was defeated by Montague in the next general election in 2016 and, although overlooked in the 2020 election, has remained active in the party.
The couple had four children together. They first had twins Adam and Aden, followed by Justin, who, unfortunately, at the age of two, drowned in the swimming pool at their Stony Hill residence in St Andrew. Two years later, they had Axel, their fourth child.
Tragedy struck the Silvera family again on November 10, 2023, when it was reported that Melissa died in her sleep of natural causes, just one month before what would have been her eighth wedding anniversary. However, an autopsy performed three weeks after her death unearthed at least three bullet fragments in her body, prompting the police to launch a murder investigation, during which Silvera’s licensed firearm was taken for ballistic testing. According to Fitz Bailey, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), “After the post-mortem, it was discovered that she was shot at least three times.” During the investigations, it was also discovered that following Melissa’s death, renovations were undertaken at the home of the couple, which included retiling, a new paint job, and new furniture.
AROUSED SUSPICION
Unsurprisingly, these developments aroused suspicion, with attention being focused in the direction of the new widower. According to an overseas publication, a family member reportedly told them, “She was healthy, and we were out with her just days before, eating and drinking. This was a total shocker to us, and from the get-go, our initial thought was, something was not right,” adding, “We just want to know what happened to Melissa.”
Following the announcement of the autopsy findings, Silvera’s attorney, Peter Champagnie, released a statement advising the public not to jump to conclusions about his client, and stating that he has been working with the police and “is not considered a suspect”. Regarding the revelations, a law enforcer told a local newspaper that the police who had gone to the house after Melissa Silvera’s death on November 10 were “in trouble”, stating, “It’s impossible for anybody to ignore three bullet wounds. And for something like that, there must be blood splatter. So those police who went there must be under investigation.”
However, in a video released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, DCP Bailey dismissed allegations of a cover-up or incompetence on the part of the police and the medical doctor who pronounced Melissa dead. Responding to questions regarding the doctor who pronounced Melissa dead, and why they did not report the gunshot wounds, Bailey explained, “The person who pronounces an individual dead is not even requested to attend court because, after that, it triggers other processes, for example, postmortem”, adding, “That is not the role of the doctor, really. It’s the post-mortem that will reveal that. ”Bailey also addressed the actions of the police who visited the crime scene, stating, “If the same police officer who went on the scene requested a post-mortem to be done, then, in my own understanding and assessment of that, there is no inkling or inclination that there is a cover-up, because the post-mortem really is to reveal the cause of death.”
WEPT OPENLY
Silvera wept openly, hugging and consoling his children, at his wife’s funeral on Friday, January 12, at the St Andrew Parish Church in Half-Way Tree, the same church where they exchanged marital vows. His remembrance was read by his mother, Cynthia Silvera. In it, he described Melissa as the heartbeat of their family, a force of nature and a nation-builder, stating, “Her relentless pursuit of progress, sometimes misconstrued as overbearing, was in reality a manifestation of her profound love, especially for her country and her family.”
However, six days later, on the afternoon of Thursday January 18, investigators accosted Silvera as he was reportedly preparing for a party, and took him into custody, driving him to the office of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Major Investigation Division. The following day, he was charged with Melissa’s murder after a third round of questioning and following a ruling from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). It was also reported that the police sergeant who attended the scene first, allegedly by himself after driving his personal car to the location, has been transferred from the Stony Hill Police Station. According to DCP Bailey, the officials are “satisfied … that there is sufficient evidence to mount a viable prosecution”. Bailey later disclosed that he believes that more charges are to be laid against Silvera as the probe into the murder of his wife continues.
Also, a media house reported that ballistics tests connected Silvera’s firearm to the crime. He is to appear in court this week.
Like any other defendant, Silvera is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The prosecution in this case will be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he ended his wife’s life. However, in the court of public opinion, Jolyan Silvera has been tried and convicted, with many not only convinced of his guilt, but also enraged at his perceived cruelty and audacity. Also, there are the burning unanswered questions. How could you be unaware that your wife was shot? Why the renovations after her death? His lawyer has his work cut out for him as Jamaica eagerly awaits the outcome of this trial.