Woman pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2022 fatal stabbing

Twenty-three-year-old Shamirika Gibson has pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter in relation to the 2022 killing of Carol Davidson. The plea was entered before Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh at the High Court in Demerara.
Gibson, who previously resided at the North-East La Penitence Squatting Area, Georgetown, was initially indicted for murder but opted to plead guilty to the reduced charge following the presentation of a statement of agreed facts to the court.
She is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Madan Kissoon, while the case for the State is being led by 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 statements, to assist in determining an appropriate sentence.

The prosecution has also been instructed to present aggravating circumstances, while the defence will submit mitigating factors for consideration.
Gibson has been remanded in custody until November 19, 2025, when she is scheduled to be sentenced.
According to the facts of the case, on June 6, 2022, 21-year-old Carol Davidson was in a yard at East Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown, when she was attacked by Gibson and her sister. During the altercation, Gibson reportedly drew a knife from her jacket and stabbed Davidson. The injured woman ran to the back of the yard but collapsed shortly after.
During the investigation, Gibson gave a video-recorded statement admitting to causing the injury and later accompanied investigators to the scene to reconstruct the events.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Davidson died from a stab wound to the chest, which resulted in a perforation of the heart.