23-Y-O Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Fatal East Ruimveldt Stabbing

October 31 2025

A 23-year-old woman, Shamirika Gibson, appeared before Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara, where she pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in connection with the 2022 death of Carol Davidson.

Gibson, formerly of North East La Penitence Squatting Area, Georgetown, was initially indicted for murder but opted to plead guilty to the reduced charge after a statement of agreed facts was presented to the court.

She is represented by attorney-at-law Madan Kissoon, while the prosecution team comprises State Counsel Simran Gajraj, Christopher Belfield, and Geneva Wills.

Chief Justice Singh accepted Gibson’s plea and ordered the preparation of pre-sentencing reports, including probation, prison conduct, and victim impact assessments, to assist in determining an appropriate sentence.

The court further instructed that the prosecution provide aggravating factors and the defence submit mitigating factors before sentencing.

Gibson will remain in custody until her sentencing, which is scheduled for November 19, 2025.

According to the agreed facts, the incident occurred on June 6, 2022, at East Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown.

Davidson, 21, was in a yard when she was approached by Gibson and her sister.

During a confrontation that followed, Gibson drew a knife from her jacket and stabbed Davidson in the chest. The injured woman attempted to flee but collapsed at the back of the yard and later died.

Investigators later obtained a video-recorded statement from Gibson in which she detailed how she inflicted the fatal injury. She also accompanied the police to the scene during the course of the investigation.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that Davidson died from a perforation of the heart caused by a stab wound to the chest.