SHALEZA Ellis, 28, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Monday for fatally stabbing 28-year-old Latoya Haywood, a mother of two.
Ellis, who previously resided on Charlotte Street in Georgetown, was initially charged with the murder of Haywood but later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter during proceedings before Justice Damone Younge at the High Court in Demerara.

The prosecution, led by State Counsel Muntaz Ali, presented the case, while Ellis was represented by Defence Attorney Candacie Adams during the sentencing hearing.

The tragic incident unfolded on December 25, 2019, when Ellis accompanied her partner, Alfie Garraway, to a party in the Leopold and Breda Streets community in Georgetown.

Upon their arrival, Ellis became enraged upon seeing Garraway talking with his child’s mother, Teneshia Favourite. In a fit of jealousy, Ellis grabbed a knife and exited the vehicle, confronting those at the party.
An altercation ensued, and friends and family of Favourite, including the now-deceased Haywood, attempted to intervene and calm the situation, urging Ellis to leave peacefully.

However, after a heated exchange, Ellis returned to the car, only to return moments later in a sudden burst of anger. She stabbed Haywood in the heart before rolling up the car window and driving off with Garraway.

Despite being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Haywood succumbed to her injuries on January 23, 2020, after being in a coma for nearly a month.
Ellis was arrested and initially charged with murder, but after pleading guilty to manslaughter, Justice Younge handed down a sentence of 14 years in prison.

During Monday’s proceedings, Ellis expressed remorse for her actions, apologising to the dead woman’s family.
In February, Justice Younge ordered that Ellis be retried for murder after a juror reported being approached twice by Ellis’s family following the closing arguments.

Due to the allegation of jury tampering, the judge decided to abort the trial and mandated a fresh trial. When the case was recalled, Ellis opted to plead guilty to the lesser count.