Fisherman Charged in 2023 Murder of Westmoreland Businesswoman

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Nearly two years after the fatal shooting of a businesswoman in Smithfield, Westmoreland, the police have charged a second suspect in connection with the crime.

Twenty-nine-year-old Marlon Smith, a fisherman from the Paradise district in Smithfield, has been charged with murder, shooting with intent, and using a firearm to commit a felony in the August 2023 killing of 27-year-old Shantal Calder-Whittingham, otherwise known as ‘Pookie’, of Brighton district in Little London.

Calder-Whittingham was shot dead on Saturday, August 12, 2023, following a reported dispute between Smith and the woman’s partner. Investigators say the altercation escalated into violence, resulting in the fatal attack on the businesswoman.

Smith had evaded capture for over a year and a half before being apprehended during a police operation on Friday, March 31, 2025. His arrest marks a major step in the ongoing investigation.

Smith’s alleged accomplice, 26-year-old Odane Barron, otherwise known as ‘Bududup’ or ‘Barram’, was arrested in Westmoreland on August 25, 2023, and later charged with murder, shooting with intent, and illegal possession of a prohibited weapon. However, Barron was released on bail and was later killed in a police confrontation in Grange Hill on Monday, April 7, 2025.

Law enforcement sources say a third suspect believed to have been involved in the shooting remains at large. Investigations are ongoing.

The police are urging anyone with information that could assist in locating the third suspect to contact the nearest police station or call Crime Stop at 311.