GUILTY!
(CNS): Updated 7pm – Co-defendants Kirkland Henry (left) and Larry Ricketts (right) have both been found guilty of the murder of Estella Scott-Roberts in October 2008. Chief Justice Anthony Smellie read his judgment to a packed courtroom this afternoon as he sent the two men to prison for the rest of their lives. The judge made it clear that he did not believe what he said were Henry’s self serving statements that he had not played a part in the murder or that Ricketts’ confession, where he clearly admitted his role in the crime, was fabricated by the police. Both men showed little emotion as their life sentence was handed down.
During the reading of his judgement, which took over two hours to deliver, the chief justice made it clear that he believed the confession made by Larry Ricketts to the police was done so freely and that his claim that the confession was concocted by the police was false. Smellie pointed to a number of reasons why he was left in no doubt that the admission had been given by Ricketts freely, including the continuous flow of the statement as well as the detail contained in it that could not have come from anywhere else but a person present at the crime.
Ricketts self-incrimination when he was in the witness stand relating to the court about when became aware of the death of Scott-Roberts was also noted by the chief justice, who said that it was very clear to the court that he had revealed that he was aware of the crime before the body had been discovered.
The country’s top judge told the court that he rejected Henry’s account that there was no pre-planning or that he had withdrawn from the joint criminal enterprise. Pointing not only to the inconsistencies and self-serving nature of his testimony, the chief justice said Henry’s chilling and casual explanation for his participation in the rape as well as his decision to keep indecent imagery of the crime on his phone after the event pointed to his full participation in all the crime, including the murder.
The chief justice concluded that any comments Henry had made to Ricketts about not wanting to kill her and that if Rickets did he should do it were no indication of withdrawal but of approval of the crime and just an indication he did not wish to commit the act. “I do not accept he made any attempt to withdraw from the criminal enterprise,” the chief justice stated before he indicated he was satisfied that Henry was guilty of murder.
Following the verdict the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Kennett, said his thoughts were with Estella’s husband, Rayle Roberts, her mother and her family and friends.
“Having to hear firsthand the terrible ordeal that Estella had to endure does not bear thinking about. Words fail me to describe the agony that Estella had to endure at the hands of Ricketts and Henry. “They have rightly been convicted on overwhelming evidence and will spend the rest of their days in prison,” Kennett said.
During the trial the crown set out its evidence against the two men, who violently abducted Scott-Roberts from the Decker’s car park on Friday 10 October before driving her in her own car to the Barkers area of West Bay. According to the confession of Henry, both men then raped her while she was bound and gagged before they murdered her by suffocating her with a garbage bag. Following the killing the two men set light to the vehicle in which they had left her body and watched it burn before they waited until the morning to catch a bus to return to George Town, where they attempted to profit from their crime by using her ATM card to withdraw cash from her account.
The men were eventually apprehended by the police as a result of tracing one of the deceased’s phones to Henry, who revealed Ricketts as his accomplice.
Category: Headline News
C.I. Govt Serve Justice Right!
Like the old testment states an eye for an eye.
But those two animals needs to be hang.
It’s a waste of money for me & you to feed them….
Anger, revenge and gut justice are not the best foundations for a penal system. That is why the death penalty is wanted by the majority of the masses butrejected by the majority of those involved in the justice system.
Justice has been served! R.I.P. Estella. This doesn’t the pain go away, but hopefully it brings peace to the family to know her murderers have been convicted.
While I do think this case warrants death by execution/lethal injection, the fact is that’s not going to happen. They get to spend the rest of their natural lives in a concrete cell. They should not be deported back to Jam. They committed a crime in Cayman and should serve their sentence in Cayman! I don’t care how "nice" and "luxurious" Northward is, nothing beats FREEDOM!! And they no longer have theirs! Thank you to the Cayman legal system for recognising and punishing these criminals! I hope Immigration will scrutinize EVERYONE who wishes to come to Cayman more!
Cayman has enough idle people with nothing to do but cause trouble.
I can’t take what people say about Northward as fact because I’ve never visited the place, and never hope to.
Yes, there are probably drugs in there. There are drugs everywhere. Get over it.
THESE MEN MAY BE IN SITTING AIR CONDITIONING, GETTING GREAT MEALS AND I MAY BE FOOTING THE BILL, BUT THEY CANT HURT ANYONE ANYMORE!!!
Us bitching about it isn’t going to change it! Government needs to! "For the people, but the people"…we elect our Government, we need to talk to them. Talking smack on a website doesn’t make a difference. Be vocal with your elected officials. If they don’t want to do anything, don’t vote them back in.
I am once again amazed at the hatred and bloodlust being spewed here by so-called Christians. Whatever happened to forgiveness?
Don’t get me wrong, I am just as happy and relieved that those two got what they deserved, but advocating such barbaric treatment is just wrong. Aren’t we supposed to show mercy as the Lord shows mercy each day?
Besides, death is perhaps the easy way out for these two. Having to face a life thinking of your actions and perhaps regretting them is a far worse punishment than instantaneous death. I say let them rot in jail.
Now these 2 young men have been tried and found guilty of the horrible violation and murder of a Caymanian woman. After a fair trial they were sentenced to life in prison.
Now can you imagine the first morning in Northward Prison after the sentence when these 2 woke up and what were their first thoughts? They are in their 20s and will spend the rest of their lives in that prison.
Now as we all know most of the inmates in Northward prison are Caymanian men. Do you think these 2 convicted prisoners will have an easy time of a life sentence?
I think not.
You can just look at that Ricketts & see evil. It is a pity that the most he could get was life in prison. He looks evil!
Capital punishment should be reintroduce for such horrendous and despicable criminals. I am just at a loss at the horrific crime and cannot even fathom the enormity of it all. The Caribbean Court of Justice is in favor of captial punishment ………
is it worth it?
1 convicted murderer X 25 years @ CI$xxxxx.00/year of accomodation = CI$xxxxxxx.00
+
1 convicted murderer X 25 years @ CI$xxxxx.00/year of accomodation = CI$xxxxxxx.00
Sub-total CI$xxxxxxx.00
+
Cost of a precious life = priceless
+
Life time trauma for the family and friends = priceless
Is there any other legal option? The price seems way too high for those 2 criminals…
Was there ever a possible motive mentioned in the proceedings? There was a lot of speculation in the aftermath that the atrocious crime was committed by someone whom Estella had helped put away through her position. Could she have been targeted for some other reason? Or, even more frightening… was this just a random event?
CNS: It appears to have been a random event.
CNS can you clarify what a sentence imposed for LIFE really means? And does the new bill of rights change the existing sentence for people who have already been sentenced to life in the past years?
CNS: As said elsewhere, "Life" means exactly that. I don’t believe the bill of rights will affect existing sentences, but I’m happy to be corrected by any lawyers out there???
9:08 – Have you ever seen a Caymanian commiting a crime like this in the Cayman Islands or else where? I have NEVER heard of a Caymanian doing such things. Check the history of our criminals and read the news, you will never find an article about a Caymanian doing such a crime on another human.
Yes, we may have our criminals that commit crimes against each other but not like this my friend.
This put the fear in me as a woman when I heard about this crime. I could not sleep, eat and sometimes I could not even think and I did not know her personally.
I went to school with her husband and he is also a good Caymanian, who we as Caymaniansare proud of.
RIP Estella, our Caymanian rose….
I disagree completely, I have had many of my Caymanian friends tell me horrific stories of murder done by nationals, they just were never prosecuted and most never even put on trial. There has been many a horrific murder in Cayman’s past and many of them are still unsolved.
I can personally attest that an expat friend of mine was brutally attacked by a Caymanian in her home, the man was caught but never put on trial. Thankfully she has managed to fight him off, but I assure you the attack was brutal and the intent was to kill.
Criminals like this are found in every community and this ignorance will only breed more. We instead need to stop pointing the finger and recognize violence and stamp it out in our community.
Estella would not like the community discriminating against other nationalities people! If we want her memory and legacy to live on lets love one another and not breed hate. Lets all live like Estella and have the courage to speak out against hate and violence.
I’ve read lots of newspaper reports over the years about caymanians sexually abusing children, often from their own families. I don’t think Caymanians are as innocent as you make out. Nor is any nationality for that matter.
http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1028124
There are several other examples so lets not start with that line of argument please. These two are despicable human beings regardless of nationality and unfortuantely every nation has their share of such scum.
Personally i think they should take the two of them to the middle of town and hang them. Set an example!! It is, I believe in these circumstances where there is no shadow of a doubt about the guilt of these guys that hanging should be a part of our judicial system. Why give these wimpy little cowards the right to live after the crime they have commited? Not to mention the $50,000 each we’re paying to keep them alive! At least they were convicted and not set free (like we’ve seen so many times)
CNS – thank you for putting up the HRC link on the implications of "life". [Thank you also for your very hard work in general. I am not sure where you find the time – particularly with the greatly increased number of comments which recent events have produced.
Given the possibility that these individuals might at some point in time get parole in relation to their convictions for murder, I sincerely hope that the Chieft Justice also sentences them to life for each of the other sentences against them which are due to be pronounced in the coming days. I also hope that he specifies that each of the life sentences has to be served CONSECUTIVELY.
I must say I’ve waited eargerly for the verdict. Once I heard that both men were found guilty, and got life sentences, I was SO relieved. Listening to the web of lies Ricketts spun had me feeling so DISGUSTED. To see their faces makes me sick. I am so happy that they will be put away because obviously they are heartless, hardcore, criminals XXX. Prison is too good for such persons. A part of me is beginning to feel that whenever a person murders another, he/she should be killed in the same way. Wouldnt that be only fair? Maybe they should be abducted, robbed, rapped, tied, tourtered, suffocated and then left to burn… I often wonder if they have a mother- and how she feels about this, God be with her. Becasue sometimes the parents cannot be held accountable for their childrens actions.
Let the punishment fit the crime.
Rest in Peace Estella. Your memory will live on in our hearts.
there is a misconception in Cayman that "life means life" meaning no parole. I know that is not the case, but the way the CNS article reads it makes it sound that way.
Did the judge recommend how long they will serve.
Any attorneys out there? What is the liekely sentence in its entirety?
CNS note: Recommended reading – Human Rights Committee report on the "Lifers"
CNS , the linke says (in part) that when dealing with life sentences for murder:
The tariff, now called the "minimum term" is set by the trial judge when sentencing the defendant following his conviction, it represents the minimum period that an offender must serve before he can be considered for release
So did the Judge set the minimum?
No it doesn’t. Nohe didn’t. The report says that’s what should happen but doesn’t. Read the whole report, carefully.
Life means life in Cayman.
There is no distinction in the sentence passed for a series of murders of the utmost barbarity involving child victims and the mercy killing of a terminally ill loved one, living in great pain, at his/her own request.
Agree that you should read the HRC report which has been ignored by governments and Governors since its publication.
MY QUESTION IS
LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE (but gets to walk around the prison yard leave and return before sun down).
…………OR IS IT………………
LIFE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE (gets out on good behavior after 15 or 20 YEARS becomes a christian, becomes a preacher for the prison church, good role-model for other inmates, Prison send reccommendation to Government).
WHICH IS IT ???????????
I clearly understand your Question…..
It Is sad that we know they got life in prison, yet no one can Answer What is life In prison.
Example. In The U.S Life is = 25 years but if good behavior = eligbility for parole after 15 years. Life without Parole = mandatory 25 years = parole considerations after the 25 years depending onthe inital charge
"ex. First degree Murder = full term life = your life span
Second degree Murder = twenty five years mandatory with parole consideration after time served depending on the parole board.
mansluaghter = 15 to life with parole consideration
Parole Consideration is NOT garaunteed to be approved once the family of the victim protests the offenders parole. ( What is Life In the Wonderful Cayman Islands??????)
I hate the fact that this prison the government operates is actually a hotel for these criminals. Prisoners with Cellphones, Requesting what meals they want and cable T.V. They Should Have Called it the "THE HILTON AT NORTHWARD"
CNS: As said elsewhere, "Life" means exactly that.
This is not justice.
Ex-prisoners look forward to being returned to Northward. Will they be under maximum security? Under isolation? What different treatment will they get to suit their horrific crime? This is not justice!!
This is not justice!!
These calculative criminals just sentenced to life are not emotional nor remorseful at all.
What if they plan an escape? Life sentense is too good for this kind of hineous crime.
We must seek the death penalty or lethal injection.
England must allow her territories to seek the lethal injection, hanging or a firing squad !
If they escape they start a new life terrorizing some other country and their innocent communits.
they should get the death penalty.
Dear ‘Who cares’,
Human rights? What part of their crime would you term as ‘Human’?
And what of the Victim, did SHE not have rights? Did she not have the right to live?
Did her family and friends not have the right to have her in their lives?
No, the criminals that prey upon, abuse, and deny us of our ‘rights’, should also be denied those rights, in-so-much-as they have abused ours.
What do I mean by this? Take away our property, so too shall they loose theirs.
Physically (sexually) abuse a person, face Physical punishment (the Whip). They say ‘Rape’ is a crime about ‘Control’. Then on every anniversary of a sexual assault, the criminal should be ‘Publicly Flogged’ for the duration of the sentence …. that will show them WHO really has control …. The Law !
Intentionally take a life (not involuntarily), face the Gallows as a Sentencing option …. MANDATORY for those who murder a child !
History shows that the ‘Old Laws’ worked, and if they will do nothing else, they will give us, the Law-abiding citizens of these islands, a sense that Justice is being served on those that would prey-upon us.
Power to the people.
Hang them high ! Whip them without mercy !
You can always really on RW to shout for the knee jerk reaction of the angry man.
Human rights? What part of their crime would you term as ‘Human’?
All of the crime is sadly too human!
And what of the Victim, did SHE not have rights? Did she not have the right to live?
She did have the right and they took it from her which is why they are being punished with life imprisonment.
Take away our property, so too shall they loose theirs. .
That iswhat fines and forfeit of property are
As for bringing back the whip or old testament punishments, do they work? seems crime exists in countries with those punishments like Iran, Sudan, parts of Nigeria, etc, Even those with the death penalty still have plenty of murders like the US, Russia and China
And history shows the old laws did NOT work, that is why they are now old laws.
Let’s not forget Jesus our Savior was put to death because of the old laws.
are you for the murdering of Jesus? Dick Wadd
Did you know it costs the tax payer in the US more to put someone to death than it does to incarcerate them for life.
Ans let’s not forget that our children are shooting each other on an eye for an eye basis. the retaliation never ends.
I know Caymanians do bad stuff bu i have never seen anything so cruel and heartless like this!
Cayman need to tighten up on boarder control, you see these ppl smiling when they hand you, your burger but we have no clue what they really are. We need a finger printing system at the airport to keep these criminials out of our islands we have enough scum bags to deal with!
Why is Cayman so easy with everything? when we put in the visa system they start bawling, hey NO ONE can get in the US without a VISA! so shut up !
When I heard the verdict, I truly cried.
We can all exhale now and I would like to thank the Chief Justice, Mr. Smellie for not shying away from doing a difficult job, Cayman appreciates your ruling.
Cayman Is nowhere near the United States. Your government makes spur of the moment decisions without even thinking what the consequences might be. They spend as if they have all the riches in the world, then react in the worst ways when things don’t pan out. I am not saying not to control your borders, but just to be diplomatic and civil about it. Set out rules that are clear and fair. Nowadays… who would want to move here, when where ever home is is just as bad with more oppertunities?
well you can start by fingerprinting every caymanian because they commit 90% of crime on the island…..
no problem with that but we really need to finger print you expats
no problem, the innocent have nothing to fear, expats (generally) are honest hardworking, educated people with no criminal convictions… but my advice would be to concentrate on the section of the community which commits the most crime…… i.e caymanians
For the love of all that is good and holy….. GET OVER IT PEOPLE. People of all nationalities are committing crimes on this island. Pointing fingers at someone else does not keep you safer at night; blaming others will not make the problem go away.
yes but isn’t it good to know who is commiting the crimes?
how can you tackle the issue if you hide from the facts of who is commiting the crimes?
then you can ask why
and then you can ask how to stop it
Thanks, I’ll be on the lookout for Burger King uniform wearing bandits. The service workers probably have no clue what the customers on the other side of the counter are either.
I’m pretty sure the poster was only creating an analogy… no need to be so thin-skinned.
Thin skinned? I hung up my BK uniform a long time ago. The post was pure and utter foolishness. I’m still wearing my anti-foolishness socks though.
Do your research before you flap your jaws….
"NO ONE can get into the US without a Visa. So Shut up."
Ummmmmmm, SORRY! There is such a thing called the Visa Waiver Program, and the UK is part of this program which mean Cayman is also a part of it. ever hear of getting a visa waiver to go to the US? Well guess what, that means you DONT NEED A VISA TO GO TO THE US:
from http://www.travel.state.gov:
Which countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program(VWP)?
Currently, 35 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
Notice what kinds of countries dont need a visa to the US? hmmmmmmm
For "I know Caymanians do bad"
Dear God! Here we go again! Village politics!
Sin has no special nation flag on it which says, this is for English, this is for Americans, this is for Jamaicans or that little teeny, weeny, not so horrible crime belongs to Cayman Islands.
What you say is true. You see a man’s face but you can’t see his heart, but geuss what sir/madam? Yourself is not exempted because I am sure that whenever anyone sees you, that person cannot tell that you are filled with narrow minded prejucice and blind hate, derived from fear of foreign nationals, or should I say, certain foreign nationals.
You are one of them who makes people think that Caymanians are daft. Luckily I know different. You are just one of the few unsavoury exception.
Good luck village politicianon your quest for what, equality for all prejudiced people??!! Whatever!!! Poor sob!!
Justice for Estella? Alot of you are saying that, but really its not. Those heartless-preverted-murderers-rapists-dirty-cowardly-scum bags get to spend their lives in "Northward 4 star hotel" courtesy of the Caymanian people and government. You all call that justice? Justice would be the have them suffer the worse way possible.
Cayman should bring back the death penalty. Alot of these criminals here would think twice about their actions, before going through with them.
This beauitful and bright young lady lost her life to these to XXXXX and they get life in prison. That’s not justice.
Rest in Peace Estella.
I agree with you 1000% they should not be allowed to go to Northward Prison for the rest of their lives. They should suffer the same fate as this innocent, kind hearted and dedicated lady, wife and mother. That in my opinion would be justice, and i am a child of God but there comes a time when you have to apply "Moses Law". I am soo embarrassed to be a Jamaican on this island from this heinous crime.
Those calling for the state sponsored killing of the defendants by the death penatly are an insult to the memory of Estella. You are as base and barbaric as the defedants in this case with your blood lust. The death penalty is the gut justice called for by the ignorant. It does not to prevent crime, makes convictions harder to achieve, costs much more than life imprisonment (for those of you so petty as to have posted about costs) and sometimes the innocent are killed by the process.
I am glad we live in a territory governed by those with a more civilized attitude than some of the CNS posters.
My only response to you is; wha if she was your daughter, wife, sister or mother? Would you truly feel the same way abot the death penalty?
I am a native of the place you refer to as having "… a more civilized attitude" and I’m pretty sure if we had a referendum tomorrow there would be every chance that the death penalty in some form or other would be restored. Except we will never have (or had) a referendum – we are told what is best for us by our leaders who pursue a Liberal agenda quite out of tune with the mindset of the mass of the people. The self same leaders who also impose their form of "state morality" on the people of Cayman.
"I am a native of the place you refer to as having "… a more civilized attitude" and I’m pretty sure if we had a referendum tomorrow there would be every chance that the death penalty in some form or other would be restored."
Thankfully the UK has a representative rather than a delegative democracy and I hope it will eschew the plebian pandering that is the over use of referenda. As long as those that vote in the legislautre are informed and educated they will tend to be agains the death penalty as the arguments against it are overwhelming. That way it does not matter what the ignorant anger based rants of the great unwashed want.
If someone raped your child/wife/mother… would you not want to kill them with your bare hands? You hear about 5 year olds getting raped around the world, why should anyone that sick be given the priviledge to live on this Earth? Rape.. when it is truly rape… is a disgusting offence.
To Q: By and large Cayman is a country of Christian values but there are other religious sentiments steeped in our culture, such as the desire for Old Testament justice in a case like this. Perhaps you did not experience the feelings throughout these islands when this murder happened; there has never been anything as brutal and horrible. So, before you pass your pious judgement, think on the effect this had on her parents (she was a beloved only child), her friends and community. I knew Estella, I worked with her and she was an extraordinary person. The WORLD lost a star when those brutal animals took her life.
Yes, they should be EXECUTED – XXXX!
they should be EXECUTED
But then should the executor be himself executed for taking a life.
Under the Old Testament "an eye for an eye" the answer is yes
Instead life in a counrty club, smoking and growing ganga, chatting on mobile phones and escaping to go home for the long weekends
Justice?
I agree with you – execute them in front of the GT Post Office
Thank GOD they have been found guilty .What I would like to see happen to them now is that they both be put in one cell together and her pictures be plastered on every corner of that cell even the ceiling like wall paper. That they will be reminded everyday of their lives of such a beautiful person they KILLED and took away from us.Human rights say we cant kill them but this suggestion we dont need to touch them at all .Or we can all mail them postcards with her pictures every month .I want them to never get comfertable and forget why they are their.
It would be cheaper to send them back to Jamaica and pay the JA Govt. to keep them. There they would face real punishment for their crime. Northward is not real punishment.
How dare you say that about HM Hotel, oops I mean prison.
Don’t tell me you don’t think prisoners deserve (3) four course meals a day including fish, steak and lobster. Don’t tell me you don’t believe they should have Air condition or TV. Come on man where is your heart?
I heard Conde Nast was going to be visiting them sometime in March and that they stood a really good chance of rating highly in the Caribbean region for one of the best All Inclusive resorts. The guy from Sandals was here last week making notes for his new hotel he’s planning.
I think we should open it up to tourist. Hey Big Mac we could drop Pirates Week and have Alcatraz week, what do you think?
Sorry to poke fun at it but it’s deserved. The place is a joke to criminals. Most live better lives in prison than they do out. Let’s see, drug delivery service, conjucal visits, TV, AC and 3 outstanding meals we struggle to afford daily for FREE. Ohh and they pay you to be there. Who would want to leave? I’m surprised our prison officers aren’t going to the hospital in droves as prisoners seek to extend their prison time.
Until they step up and take a serious look at our prison we will forever have the problems we are having.
Send them back to Jamaica and pay the Jamaican Government to keep them. What guarantee would you give that they would not be back on the streets next day while we pay the Jamaican Govt?
It is going to cost a lot to keep them yes, but why dont we just create a Jamaican type prison environment here where we can let the scum bags suffer while we watch it happen.
Prisoners dont vote so what difference would it make to the politicians.
The state should take the life from these two men just as they did to Estella. Why should we have to feed and shelter them for the rest of their lives? I would feel much better knowing that the state had set a date to take their lives from them.
Human scum such as those guys should been put to death for committing such a horrendous crime.
Thousands and maybe millions of dollars of tax payers money will have to be spent on feeding and housing them at Northward if they live the average life span.
Since the UK forced us to abolish capital punishment we should request reimbursement from them for having to feed these scum for the rest of their lives.
An execution would cost far far more. The UK has saved us money.
How does an execution cost more? Make them build their own gallows… I’ll pull the lever if youre looking for a volunteer!
Whenever an animal in an zoo , for example, attacks a person and the person dies because of the attack, that animal is put to death and it does not cost that much to do that.
These guys can only be described as animals and therefore deserve the same treatment as an animal who attacks and kills a person.
I am not advocating an individual acting alone to do the execution but through the God given authority of the state when a person commits such terrible crimes he should me made to suffer punishment equal to the crime he committed
I hope the verdict will give some closure to her family and friends. I’m no eye-for-an-eye bible-basher, but these two evil bastards should hang for what they did.
Instead, they’ll both spend the next 50 years in Hotel Northward, at a cost of about $55k a year, each, out of our pockets… which is $5.5million over their lifetime… here’s hoping they don’t go the distance.
R.I.P. Estella.
There is a GOD and he does answer prayers! Thank you God for not letting them walk free! Rest in peace Estella’s. You are truly missed but I’m so thankful to the good Lord above and to the justice system for putting them murderers away for life! It should have been life without the possibility of parole!
Maybe the "Lord" should have prevented this in the first place!!!!!!!!!
Instead he took a beautiful life and put two up at the "Ritz" .
Hang em High.
No need to instigate a war against religion, i dont believe it is necessary or appropriate at this time.
Our Judicial system has sentenced them ultimatley taking away their freedom for the rest of their lives, im sure these gentlemen have hearts and will suffer great mental angusih with the horrible truth forever stained against their existance.
Lets put this to rest people ,remember our kids are watching and mimiking our actions,words and believes ……
"Gentlemen"???!!! Are you out of your cotton picking mind??!! Do you know the meaning of the word??!! Please, please dont be using this word to describe those evil bastards!! They are animals and should be treated accordingly! If they do have hearts they would do us all a favour and check out of this World….
As a lawful Jamaican citizen presently residing in Cayman I am very pleased with the way the trial ended.
These two men are an embarrassment to myself and fellow law abiding Jamaican national in this country.
I am very glad that they were found guilty, my only regret is that they will be doing the time in Northward. They should be sent to Jamaica where the prison condition befitting of their lack of human character.
May the God of Daniel, Moses and David comfort and heal the family of Estella and rain judgment upon these two heartless animals.
I am at lease glad that the judge in this cause we a Jamaican national and as a result he could hang down this verdict on the behalf of all of us Jamaican devastated by this crime as well as on the behalf of the Cayma
nian people who lost a icon.
Interesting how the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper which is so quick to bash Cayman on anything and everything from visa requirements to their nationals being "passed over" for jobs in Cayman has chosen to avoid this matter altogether. Come on Jamaica Gleaner, how about a little balanced journalism now?
It’s a pity that with such a brutal and horrific crime they committed, they will be spending life imprisonment at our tax payers expense at Cayman’s Northward Hotel, instead of the special accomodations that is being offered at Havana, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua or Mexico.
Since the C.I. Government needs to cut back on operating expenses in these financial times, then I suggest that they start with these two convicts. By contracting the services out to either of these countries above, to house them for us, we would have savings of about 75% per annum ($35,000 CI each or $70,000 CI per annum) which could then be used locally to fund programs in combatting continued violence and lawlessness in our country.
They realy deserve that and more!!!!
Nothing can make her family & husband feel better, but now they know those man will be there forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks God…And the judge…
Now woman like me can feel a little bit better!!!
justice for Estella, may her soul rest in peace.
justice for Estella, may her soul rest in peace.
17:47 they don’t deserved to know who Estella was.
After I heard about this crime, I could not sleep and I did not even know her personaly. This crime has changed my life in so many ways, I don’t go out at night alone, I check my car before I get in and am always looking around and being aware of my surrounding.
They don’t deserve anything, but what they get.
RIP – Estella
my 2 cents
The news that this guilty verdictwas handed down has been welcomed and brought tears to my eyes as a Caymanian woman. I hope that no appelate court would even consider reducing the life sentence that CJ Smellie so appropriately handed down.
Estella was a great asset to the Caymanian society and ironically worked tirelessly to prevent the type of crime against women that cost her her own precious life. Whilst this verdict will not erase her immediate family’s and her husband Rayle’s pain I hope that they will feel that justice did prevail and that such knowledge will bring some small source of closure for them.
" ….. he sent the two men to prison for the rest of their lives".
They are to spend the rest of their lives (possibly 40+years) as our ‘guests’ at the Northward Country-Club, in exchange for taking the life (so brutally) of one who gave so much to our community and people.
Not even a ‘Flogging’ for the brutal rape? Do our Laws not allow for harsh punishment?
Where is the deterrent for others who would do the same?
Where is the Justice in this?
GOD have mercy on their souls, because the consequences they are going to face in this life and the next for the murder of Estella Scott – just to suffice their animal selves and lust, will be GRAVE ONES INDEED…
I’m glad they have been found GUILTY……….. but LIFE in PRISON, so we the people of CAYMAN will have to feed them for the rest of their lives. That sucks……….
Bring back the DEATH PENALTY
It is very frifgtening that they will get parole.
HALLELUJAH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m glad that these men where found guilty but i’m not sure if this is really justice having to send the rest of there life in Northward prison. How can two do such a horrible crime to such a beautiful person .Estella may your sole rest in peace and those two beast burn in hell.
I am deeply thankful that these two animals have been put away for life. Now Estella can finally rest in peace, and her family has had justice.
People like these two savages does not deserve to live and i hope they ROT in jail!!! It’s a pity there’s no law that supports the death row. It would make a big difference to put away criminals like these who have no regards to human life. But since there is none, I guess we’ll just have to make ourselves satisfied with what can be given when justice is served.
I wonder if they were ever thinking, that she had people who loved and cared and respected her so dearly. I wonder if they even thought about the fact that it could have been one of their family members or close friend that was suffered what poor Estella suffered. It clearly shows that they emotionless, heartless individuals that does not fit into a society.
But once again, thank God that justice is served and may her beautiful soul rest in peace.
Why would anyone put a ‘thumbs down’ to this post? Did your mouse slip?
I suppose we can say that justice has been served, because life sentence is all that the Judge had to had down. A crime such of this well deserves the gallos.
I am so angry at the whole thing that I am choking as I write. but I hope this sentence will not be overthrown by this so called "human rights law’ Estella would love to live to reap human rights. Life sentence is far too good for these wild life two-footed tigers. They have the right to life and she is gone through their wickedness.
May Her Soul Rest In Peace.
I have 2 daughters and I feel this to the core of my heart.
Good job Ms. Richrds
Good job Judge, the Cayman Islands is pleased with your sentences, but this type ofbehavour deserves hanging by the head..
Let us hold the family up in prayer.
Now let’s get the KILLERS of little Jeremiah!!
Somehow I’m not overly concerned if they showed any emotion.
They should have plenty of time to dig some up
from somewhere.
Goodbye
Do this mean that we now have to spend more money on appeals for these scum bags?
God give peace to the family……
and you 2 criminals may you rot in hell and I hope they are waiting for you in prison to see how it feels when you are in the same position……………..
I cannot imagine what this lovely lady must have suffered during the last hour of her life.
Life is too good for them they deserve capital punishment. Now we all have to pay to feed them at northward for the rest of their lives. I say deport them back to Jamaica and let them rot in prison over there!.
THANK GOD, Something done right in Cayman for the first time in a LONG time!
Justice has been served, unfortnately for the rest of the innocent community we will forever be paying higher fees on all government tariffs to feed and clothe these men and others like them in Northward or (God forbid) others who will follow. Our prison system needs to be toughened up.
Cut out the three meals a day and nobody to obey business. Lights out at 8, smaller cells, let them farm and raise their own food and drink rain water. You hear foolishness about if the kitchen don’t cook what they want guards going to buy what they ask for.
Mr. Bigger Boss how come you don’t provide this treatment to us honest people out here?
Toughen up the system, reinstate hanging..people have no reason to not commit a crime with a prison like ours..truly Her Magisty’s Royal Hotel.
On the other hand to Rayle, our hearts go out to you, they have been with you from the moment this crime took place. Many of us are rejoicing with you today; here in Cayman and abroad. May you find inner peace that only time will bring.
RIP our beloved Estella! Thank God in this world today, Justice can still be served. Now…We don’t need to give them 3 meals a day, cell phone, TV, free dental, free medicall or none of that. Sentence them to hard labour for life without parole either…..and I hope Estella haunts them for the rest of their lives. Disgusting vermits!
Let’s hope this (these) convctions stick. I doubt it, but finally may she rest in peace. Give credit where it’s due, and not where it’s not.
AMAZING!!!!!!
Let them ROT!!!
I thought this was a Christian island where forgiveness plays a big role etc. Must be my mistake.
There can be no forgiveness for some crimes. This was one of them.
I was being ironic. This island professes to be very religious, the church and its fundamental followers have an iron grip on the country’s leadership and its policies. But when it comes to really following the Christian beliefs it’s amazing when people show their true colors in situations like this.
Btw, the crime is horrific and they deserve the severest punishment possible.
Amazing?… No! More like ANGERING!!!
Let them ROT?… No! More like, let them be SHOT!!!
It’s a crying shame, that taxpayers money will now be wasted on those two naturally born and cultured killers among potentially many others that has landed here on these shores.
What say we do a petition for their death.
Yours truly,
Cayman Iron Clad
Hopefully this brings a degree of closure to the family.
I would like to offer my congratulations to the police and Solicitor General’s department for bringing about a successful prosecution.
I don’t understand why these 2 men did such a horrible crime. Did they know Estella?
What in God’s name possessed them to be so brutal toward a woman?
Were any of these questions answered in the trial?
Some people are just monsters.
good result! I hope this verdict helps estella’s husband and family in some small way to recover from this terrible tragedy.
Justice had been served!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!! Or should I say Chief Justice Smellie!!