By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after admitting to fatally stabbing an elderly Haitian woman in 2020.

Tamar Forbes was initially charged with the murder of Elisia Theoc Loristol, 79, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter as part of a plea deal.

Police said he stabbed Loristol in the neck during an altercation in the Eight Mile Rock community. 

He then dragged her into nearby bushes and covered her body with tree branches and plywood. 

Concerned family members found her dead a day after they reported her missing to police.

According to Loristol’s daughter, her mother left home on June 19, 2020, and went down the street, not too far away, to another property the family owns to do some yard work — weeding and tending her garden — but never returned home.   

Supreme Court Justice Andrew Forbes noted in his ruling that on June 20 2020, an officer received information leading him to Eight Mile Rock Police Station, where he learned of the discovery of an elderly woman’s body. Later, that officer visited Forbes’ home, informed him he was suspected of murder, and took him and his mother to the station for questioning. During the interview, Forbes admitted to stabbing the woman in the neck, dragging her body into bushes, and covering it with branches and plywood.

Forbes, who had been incarcerated since age 16, had no prior employment or gang involvement and admitted to using marijuana. His mother, Tosca Forbes, described him as a loner, expressing shock at his actions but acknowledging justice must be served. His grandmother, Ms Rosena Forbes, also described him as mannerly and expressed hopes for rehabilitation.

During court proceedings, the victim’s granddaughter recalled being close to her grandmother and expressed a desire for the convict to receive a stiff sentence to prevent future harm.

During sentencing submissions, Mario Gray, Forbes’ lawyer, argued that his relatively young client was still redeemable. He said he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, that the act was not premeditated, and that he lost control in the moment. He proposed a sentence of eight to ten years, considering the four years the convict had already spent on remand.

Representing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ashley Carroll highlighted mitigating and aggravating factors, including Forbes’s young age and lack of employment at the time of the crime. She referenced multiple manslaughter cases where sentences ranged between 20 to 25 years. The Crown ultimately recommended a sentence of 25 years for the convict, citing precedents suggesting sentences within the 18 to 35-year range.

In sentencing Forbes for manslaughter, the judge acknowledged his cooperation during the investigation, including his participation in the record of interview, full statement, and guidance to officers. He noted that Forbes also pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, demonstrating remorse.

Noting that the crime, though not as brutal as others, was still severe, the judge highlighted the emotional toll on the victim’s family and the community. He expressed concern over the inability of young men to regulate their emotions, contributing to societal violence.

He rejected the defence’s proposed sentence, considering it inadequate for the circumstances, and sentenced Forbes to 14 years starting from June 24 2020. The judge recommended Forbes attend electrical, refrigeration, anger management, and substance abuse classes while incarcerated.