Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

No motive found! Defence attorney pokes holes in Crown’s case

No motive found! Defence attorney pokes holes in Crown’s case

The police have not determined a motive for the February 2018 murder of Truymayne ‘Passion’ Daway.

This was revealed last Friday as the Prosecution closed its case in the trial for the three persons accused of killing Daway — Rafael Harrigan, Vernon Bernard, and Maybelline Rodriguez who the Crown previously described as the “honeytrap” used to lure Daway to his death on the day in question.

During cross-examination of one of the Crown’s witnesses — Detective Inspector Jumo Shortte –, Bernard’s attorney Richard Rowe noted that the police tried to ascribe a motive of jealousy between Bernard and Passion.

However, Rowe highlighted that evidence from Daway’s family members in the earlier parts of the trial indicated there was no bad blood between both men.

No evidence places any defendant at the scene


While noting that the police has not come up with a motive, Detective Inspector Shortte also said there was no eyewitness, DNA or fingerprint evidence to indicate any of the defendants were present at the scene of the crime.

Rowe, who proceeded to poke holes in the Crown’s case, asked the witness if the items recovered from the crime scene — including a used condom, a condom wrapper, a piece of toilet paper, a baby wipe, and a plastic bottle — would be crucial for forensic evidence. In response, Shortte said it would be good, but he did not know if they were tested for DNA or fingerprint evidence.

Shortte also testified that although three of 10 fingerprint samples that were sent abroad were viable for comparison and verification, he was not concerned that they did not match any of the three defendants as he always sees things like that happening.

One match


Only one fingerprint recovered from the vehicle matched one of the defendants — Harrigan. None of them matched that of Vernon Bernard who was also sent for verification.

Shortte noted that it was possible the three unidentified prints could have been someone else and that person could have stolen the vehicle.

Rowe also questioned if robbery could not have been the motive for Daway’s death. The attorney said previous testimonies from Passion’s family indicated he was wearing some rings and a chain when they last saw him on the night of the eventual murder.

Rowe said none of these items, except a hand chain, were found on Passion’s body when it was removed from the scene. The witness said it was possible.

Was gun seen in video real?


Meanwhile, Bernard’s attorney asked Shortte if he was certain the video recovered from Maybelline Rodriguez’s phone from WhatsApp messages between him and Bernard was that of a real gun. Although the witness testified that it was real, Rowe indicated he could not possibly say for certain and that he, Detective Inspector Shortte, would be speculating.

The attorney questioned if the video was shown to the force armourer to ascertain if the gun in it was real and the witness indicated it was not. Shortte also testified that he was uncertain if the gun in the video could commit a felony. However, he said given the context of the investigation, the gun was real.

Defence Counsel Rowe then said that given the context of the investigation, the police have ascribed a realness to the video without certainty. He reiterated that the witness was speculating and if he cannot be sure about the realness of the weapon then he cannot expect the jury to be sure either.

Shortte also testified that he was unable to say where the video originated from. He said it was possible that the video could have been a copy of a video taken from the internet or elsewhere.

Were text message definitely about Daway?


Finally, the witness noted that the WhatsApp messages between Rodriguez and Bernard did not specifically mention Passion’s name. Rowe pointed out it mentioned a ‘black boy’ which another witness had testified was the name of another person who worked at the car wash.

Shortte said that based on the description given in the message, as well as certain context, it was determined they were speaking of Passion. However, Rowe indicated that nothing was explicitly stated about Passion in the message.

He also noted there was no indication in the weeks leading up to the message that Rodriguez was to meet Daway as the crown had stated.

The witness indicated this was true.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×