Woman accused of reputed husband’s murder walks free after Judge upholds no-case submission

Freed: Alexis Turpin

A woman who was charged back in 2016 with the murder of her reputed husband has been found not guilty. Alexis Turpin, who was freed earlier today, was on trial for the capital offence before Demerara High Court Judge Jo Ann Barlow and a 12-member mixed jury.

Following the close of the prosecution’s case, Turpin’s lawyer, Damien Da Silva made a no-case submission on her behalf. The no-case submission was upheld by Justice Barlow who thereafter directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

Turpin and her lover, Sterfon Barlow, 39, were initially tried for Sherwin Johnson’s murder last year. But after the jury returned hung, they were further remanded to prison pending a re-trial.

Jailed: Sterfon Barlow

Then in March 2021, Barlow appeared before Justice Brassington Reynolds and pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, thereby admitting that he unlawfully killed Johnson on July 2, 2016.  In the end, Barlow was handed a 10 years’ prison sentence.

According to reports, Turpin and Johnson shared a relationship and lived together with their child at Lodge, Georgetown. On the day in question, Johnson came home and reportedly found Turpin in bed with Barlow.  As a result, a fight ensued between the three of them.

It is alleged that during the fight, Turpin and Barlow teamed up against Johnson. They used a crowbar, pieces of wood, and a knife to inflict injuries on Johnson. After the beating, Johnson was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remained hospitalized for several days.

Subsequently, a joint attempted murder charge was brought against Turpin and Barlow. However, after Johnson died, the charge against them was upgraded to murder.