An 85-year-old Jamaican farmer has been convicted of murdering his 73-year-old wife and their 80-year-old employer in a violent outburst fueled by jealousy and domestic disputes. Roy Nesbeth’s case, tried before Justice Courtney Daye in the Hanover Circuit Court, reveals a tragic narrative of marital breakdown culminating in extreme violence.
According to court documents, the fatal incidents occurred on August 12, 2023, at the couple’s Grange District residence in Hanover. The confrontation began when Nesbeth confronted his wife of ten years, Tera Anderson-Nesbeth, about her withholding approximately J$6,400 and refusing to wash his clothes. The argument escalated when she declared their relationship over, prompting Nesbeth to strike her multiple times in the head and shoulder with a farming tool known as a ‘digger.’
Following the assault on his wife, Nesbeth proceeded to the Kendel District home of retired nurse Patsy Allen, their employer. There, he accused Allen of destroying his marriage and alleged her younger relative had romantic intentions toward his wife. During the confrontation, Nesbeth assaulted Allen with his hands before using a screwdriver to inflict fatal wounds to her chest area.
In a remarkable turn of events, Nesbeth described experiencing divine intervention after the murders. Overcome with guilt, he attempted suicide three times but claimed a voice from God instructed him to seek pastoral guidance and surrender to authorities. His subsequent confession provided chilling details of the attacks and his emotional state following the violence.
Forensic examinations confirmed the cause of death for both victims. Anderson-Nesbeth succumbed to blunt force trauma to the head, specifically a fatal injury to the back of her skull that caused brain damage. Allen died from hemorrhagic shock resulting from sharp force injuries to the chest, with additional defensive wounds on her left hand indicating attempted self-protection.
The investigation, led by Detective Constable Ellsworth Robinson with support from specialized crime division officers, culminated in a fourteen-day trial between December 3-30, 2023. Prosecuted by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Malike Kellier and Crown Counsel Loyata Richards, the case resulted in Nesbeth’s conviction by a seven-member jury. Sentencing has been deferred to a future date.