Caretaker given two life sentences for killing Winnipeg couple at their Jamaican home in 2018
The man who pleaded guilty to the murders of a Canadian couple found dead in their Jamaican home has been handed two life sentences in the killings.
On Thursday in Jamaica, Fabian Skervin was handed two terms of life in prison to be served concurrently with no chance of parole for 32 years and four months, his lead attorney Anthony Williams told CTV News.
In July, Skervin had pleaded guilty to the murders of 81-year-old Melbourne Flake and 70-year-old Etta Flake. The married couple had immigrated to Canada from Jamaica and had lived in Winnipeg for 53 years. They were found dead inside their St. Thomas vacation home in January 2018.
"It's important that people know that sometimes justice does get served, and in this case, Skervin is spending what's probably going to be the rest of his life in prison," Debbie Lee Olfert, the daughter of the couple, told CTV News in an interview from St. Thomas.
Olfert said she flew down to Jamaica from her home in Vancouver for the sentencing, which she said brought some form of closure to her.
"I've waited over three years for some modicum of justice," she said. "I'm just grateful that somebody is being held responsible."
Williams told CTV News that Skervin—a 29-year-old farmer—had worked as the caretaker for Melbourne and Etta.
CTV News has previously reported the couple had been killed during a home burglary. Their bodies were found by construction workers.
Williams said the court gave Skervin a discount on his sentence because he pleaded guilty to the murders.
"He asked me to convey to the court that he was sorry, he has expressed remorse," Williams said.
"The fact of the matter is, it does not detract or take away the very fact that two lives have been lost."
On Friday, the Jamaica court also dismissed the charges against Nekia Thompson – a woman co-accused with Skervin in the murders, Thompson's lawyer Hensley Williams told CTV News.
Williams said Thompson had previously pleaded not guilty to two counts and an indictment for murder. He said the charges were dismissed Friday, as the court found no admissible evidence to proceed with the case against Thompson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.