Social Media Influencer Murder Case Advances with New Court Date Set for Suspect Rushawn Patterson
St James, Jamaica — In a significant development in the case surrounding the October 2022 murder of social media influencer Aneika “Slickianna” Townsend, the St James Circuit Court has set a new mention date for suspect Rushawn Patterson. The case is scheduled to be revisited on January 31, as per the decision by Supreme Court Judge Bertram Morrison during Patterson’s recent court appearance.
This comes after the Crown informed the court that while the postmortem report has been obtained, they are still awaiting crucial DNA evidence. The absence of the DNA report has led to the ongoing delay, prompting the request for the new date, which Justice Morrison has granted. Additionally, Patterson, who appeared in court with representation by Senator Charles Sinclair on behalf of his absent lawyer Dionne Mayler Barrett, received an extension on his bail.
The case has seen multiple delays; it was most recently postponed on October 18 when cases were unexpectedly advanced by a day. Previous delays included the pending postmortem and DNA reports as of September 23.
Background information indicates that Townsend’s body was retrieved from the waters in Reading, St James, on October 21, 2022. The investigation revealed that Townsend had traveled from Kingston to Montego Bay, where Patterson picked her up on October 20. The pair reportedly visited a restaurant in Hanover and later a guest house in St James during the evening. It was there that an argument allegedly broke out, leading to Townsend’s death by strangulation, after which her body was disposed of in the sea.
Patterson became a person of interest promptly after the discovery of Townsend’s body, but only after missing two deadlines to surrender. He was apprehended by a police team at a guest house in Hanover on November 2, 2022.
With the completion of all necessary reports, the court expects to set a trial date to address the serious allegations against Patterson. In the meantime, Townsend’s case remains a poignant reminder of the growing influence—and potential dangers—of social media in contemporary society.
