Second man charged with Westmoreland businesswoman's murder

A second man has been charged in the August 2023 murder of Westmoreland businesswoman Shantal Calder-Whittingham, otherwise called ‘Pookie’.

He is 29-year-old fisherman Marlon Smith, of Paradise district, Smithfield in Westmoreland.

The Savanna-la-Mar police say an argument developed between Calder-Whittingham and her partner and Smith, about 3:30 p.m. on August 12, 2023, in Paradise district.

During the dispute, Smith allegedly threw rum bottles at the couple, hitting them multiple times and injuring them. It's reported that Smith then left and later returned with a gun, which he pointed at them.

This prompted the couple to make a report to the police.

Following the report, the two returned to the community and was sitting in their motor vehicle when they were allegedly approached by Smith and three other men, all armed with handguns.

Calder Whittingham and her partner exited the vehicle and ran to escape injury; however, the men reportedly gave chase and opened gunfire at them.

When the shooting subsided, Calder-Whittingham was found suffering from gunshot wounds. She was transported to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Following an investigation into the businesswoman’s death, Smith’s co-accused, Odane Barron, was arrested during an operation in Westmoreland on August 25, 2023, and was later charged with murder, shooting with intent and unauthorised possession of a prohibited weapon.

Smith managed to elude the police until March 31, 2025, when he was taken into custody during an operation.

He was charged with murder, shooting with intent and using a firearm to commit a felony after warrants were executed on him on April 21.

The police say his court date is being finalised.

They say the third shooter is still at large.

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