Cayman Islands family Murder case concludes

Barnaby Jameson KC (Associate Tenant) has concluded proceedings in one of the Cayman Islands’ most complex family murder trials in recent years.

Following a three‑and‑a‑half‑week trial at the Grand Court a jury found 29‑year‑old university student Demesio Frederick unanimously guilty of murdering his uncle, Christopher “Bolo” Johnson on New Year’s Eve 2024.

Mr Frederick had returned to Cayman from his engineering studies in the UK for the Christmas period.

The murder had been the violent culmination of a long‑running family feud. Barnaby Jameson KC speaking to he Jury described the animosity as a “poison river” which had flowed through the relationships within the Johnson family for years.

The prosecution’s case rested on three compelling strands of evidence:

1. CCTV- although the CCTV footage had been deleted within 48 hours, it was successfully recovered through advanced forensic video‑analysis.
2. DNA- The CCTV was reinforced by significant DNA findings, including DNA material beneath the victim’s fingernails and on multiple areas of his body and clothing.
3. Motive: The above combined with historic WhatsApp messages pointing to a historic near‑fatal strangulation within the family, the jury ultimately returned a guilty verdict.

Sentencing will take place later this year.

Associate Tenant Barnaby Jameson KC was appointed Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DDPP) at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cayman Islands in Jan 2026. In his senior leadership role he will also lead the prosecution of complex and serious offences before both the Grand Court and the Court of Appeal.

News story here