Joel Philemon Maynard ambushed a man along a secluded rural path on his way to work and chopped him “at least” 44 times, the No. 4 Supreme Court heard on Thursday.
As the jury was set to begin to hear evidence in his trial, Maynard of Padmore Village, St Philip, asked to be re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to murdering Kevin Atherley on September 26, 2019.
Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell directed the 12-member jury to return a guilty verdict.
Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC read the facts into evidence.
On the morning of the murder, a man travelling along a cart road in the Harrow, St Philip area came upon a bicycle and a man’s body, the court heard. He initially believed the man was drunk, but on closer inspection realised that he had several chop wounds and was dead. He called the police. Relatives identified the body as Atherley’s.
An autopsy revealed that the body had “at least” 44 wounds. The pathologist said it was impossible to count all the injuries “on the hand because of overlapping” and ruled that Atherley bled to death due to multiple wounds.
Atherley’s death became a cold case, but almost three years later, detectives were led to Maynard, who emerged as the prime suspect. Police arrested him at his home on February 25, 2022.
Initially, he claimed he had nothing to do with the killing and told officers about an altercation between him and Atherley earlier in 2019.
When police questioned Maynard again, he lowered his head and began to sob uncontrollably as he confessed to Atherley’s slaying.
In an oral statement, Maynard said he had been gambling with several other people, including Atherley, who was losing money.
He continued: “Kevin called me one side from the table and asked to borrow $120. I proceeded to give him from my pocket…. He agreed to pay me in two weeks’ time on his payday.
“Two days after, I found out he was to be paid in the same week. I went to Kevin’s house on the Saturday morning before the incident, and he came to the louvres, and I asked him about my money.
“He responded, saying: ‘Other people owe me and I do not run them down.’ I responded by saying: ‘You have told me lies,’ and his response was obscene language in a fret-up style.”
Maynard said one of the deceased’s relatives appeared with two rocks in his hands and Atherley came outside with a pipe and they got into a scuffle before Atherley and the relative pushed him against a wall. During the altercation, Maynard said his pants dropped to his ankles, causing others nearby to laugh and leaving him feeling “ashamed and angry”.
“On September 26, I woke up around 4:45 a.m. and proceeded to walk around the grassland. I had my sword from home travelling with me. When I arrived on the cartroad, I waited until Kevin rode and came up on his bicycle. When he got close enough, I proceeded to shout: ‘What is the vibe?’
“He responded: ‘Nothing for ****’ and I got very, very angry.”
Maynard told police he then chopped Atherley’s face, ankle and upper body. “I was not in control of myself”.
He added, “After I realised how far I had gone, I ran off to the grassland. I then discarded my sword and returned home and discarded my clothes in the neighbour’s garbage can.”
Maynard also gave a written confession and accompanied officers to the area, where he pointed out locations which were video-recorded.
The convicted man accepted the facts as read and Justice Smith-Bovell ordered pre-sentence psychological and behavioural assessment reports, along with custody records.
Maynard, who is represented by attorney Sian Lange, returns to court on November 11.
(JB)
