Politician Jolyan Silvera has claimed that he snapped and shot his wife during an intense argument fuelled by her rants. The former People’s National Party Member of Parliament for St Mary Western said his wife, Melissa, described the fatal day his wife died as part of his guilty plea for manslaughter.
According to the lawmaker, before his wife was shot dead on November 10, 2023, she had been ranting about the death of their one-year-old child, Justin, which she blamed him for. The couple were at their home in Stony Hill, St Andrew.
Silvera explained on Monday that the domestic dispute erupted inside their bedroom at night. During their argument, Melissa reportedly placed the blame squarely on him for multiple things that night, including the drowning incident that claimed Justin’s life.
The toddler died in August 2017, when the Silveras were home with their household helper. The child drowned in their pool and was discovered floating in the water.
According to a report, Silvera described his wife’s behaviour that night as verbally abusive, which pushed him over the edge. He said the argument became physical when a struggle ensued. It was during that time Melissa was reportedly shot three times.
He admitted to using a firearm to kill her and argued that the felony he committed was manslaughter rather than murder.
Although public attention has centred largely on the homicide charges, the legal implications of the firearm offence carry their own heavy weight. It exposes Silvera to a potential 15-25-year sentence, regardless of the outcome of the murder trial.
The prosecution has agreed to a manslaughter plea for Jolyan Silvera, leaving his fate in the hands of Chief Justice Brian Sykes, who will rule on the matter today, February 5, 2026.
In November 2023, when Melissa was announced dead, Silvera allegedly told family and friends several stories about how she died. Among the accounts, he reportedly said she died peacefully in her sleep from a suspected aneurysm. He also allegedly told others that she died after she hit her head when she fell while showering. Silvera was seen in tears at her funeral and reportedly asked a senior PNP MP to help him to replace their mattress in their bedroom with a new one after her death, but the request was denied.