Bagotville wife killer serving 80-year sentence wants out of prison

Miguel Barker, the man who attacked and fatally stabbed his wife at a Bagotville, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home in 2015, wants out of prison.

As such, he is appealing his conviction for his wife, Donessa Barker’s murder as well as the 80 years jail sentence he was slapped with by Justice Navindra Singh.

Dead: Donessa Barker

His appeal comes up for hearing/further directions on August 10.

In 2018, a jury unanimously found the now 34-year-old man guilty of murdering the 29-year-old woman, who he stabbed with a knife on April 30, 2015.

Shaneiza Clarke, the main prosecution’s witness and with whom Donessa and Miguel were living at the time, had testified to rushing to the wounded woman’s aid and seeing Miguel attempting to jump out of the bedroom window after stabbing his wife.

The court heard that on the morning of the murder, Clarke had accompanied Donessa to the Police station to make a report of Miguel threatening her (Donessa) with a knife. 

Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh gave Donessa’s cause of death as hemorrhage and shock due to stab wounds to the chest.

Before Justice Navindra Singh imposed the lengthy custodial sentence, Miguel had expressed that he was “sorry for what happen”; but, however, had continued to profess his innocence, stating that he did not kill his wife.

Donessa was a mother of one.