By Ronalda Luke-Pascal
Norman Ronald, a 49-year-old from the community of Fond Cole, has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 38 years, 7 months, and 2 weeks, effective his date of conviction, June 2, 2025.
Ronald had been indicted for the December 31, 2018, murder of Haitian national Meliane Dijon at the Roseau Market. At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to murder and offered a guilty plea to manslaughter, but Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple rejected the manslaughter plea and the case proceeded to trial.
After hearing the evidence, a nine‑member jury—four men and five women—deliberated for less than an hour before returning a unanimous guilty verdict. In today’s sentencing, Justice Colin Williams ordered that the convicted man must serve a minimum of 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
In constructing his sentence, Justice Williams began with a 40‑year starting point, increased to 46 years to account for aggravating factors, then reduced to 45 years to reflect a one‑year discount for procedural delays. Recognizing time already served—six years, three months, and two weeks—the court ultimately imposed a term of 38 years, 7 months, and 2 weeks.
Trial
On May 29, 2025, following the empanelment of the jury, the prosecution, led by State Attorney Fernillia Felix-Frederick, called its first witness.
Vanbeek Fontaine testified that he was at the Roseau Market on December 31, 2018, with his wife. Fontaine stated that they were packing up produce to go home to prepare for a sunset service to welcome the New Year. Fontaine, a market vendor, said that while packing up, his wife spoke to him in Creole, which he translated for the court as, “Look, a negro is killing a Haitian lady over there.”
Fontaine told the court that he looked just a short distance away from his table and noticed that his neighbouring vendor was being attacked. He recollected that he saw a man with a large knife in his hand stabbing Dijon.
The witness stated that he and his wife moved from where they were standing and went closer to Beauty Wise, where there was a group of people, because he believed it was the safest place for his wife. He described the time of the incident as bright and just after 4:00 p.m.
He further testified that the attacker was wearing a bright orange tam and carried an orange “Rambo” knife, which he described as a smaller version of a machete. He said, after the stabbing, there was a big commotion in the market, with people trying to flee. Fontaine recalled that he then saw Ronald running toward KFC, attempting to get away.
He described the atmosphere at the market before the incident as quiet, cool, and peaceful, but said that during and after the incident, it was chaotic, bizarre, and devastating.
Fontaine stated that he later went to the hospital and saw the deceased arrive, noting that large chunks of what appeared to be blood were falling from her side. He told the court that he also saw the person who had stabbed Dijon at the hospital, handcuffed to a bed. Fontaine asked for permission to speak with Ronald and confronted him.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Peter Alleyne of the Legal Aid Clinic questioned whether Fontaine could have mistaken Ronald for someone else, given that Fontaine had only seen him for the first time that day. Fontaine denied this assertion.
The prosecution’s second witness, Joseph Mondesire, testified that he had known Norman Ronald for many years. On December 31, 2018, he saw Ronald boarding a bus in Fond Cole. He was surprised to see him, as he had not seen him in some time.
Mondesire described Ronald as wearing a beanie hat, a T-shirt, white surfer shorts, and white sneakers. Later, he saw Ronald on the road near the Dominica-China Friendship Bridge by KFC. Mondesire observed that the now convicted man had an injury on his right leg above his ankle and below his calf, and he was examining the wound.
As Ronald got up, a man approached KFC and engaged him in a tussle, during which a knife fell to the ground. Mondesire testified that Ronald evaded the man and ran away, hopping. The man then threw the knife at Ronald as he fled.
Mondesire continued driving but lost sight of Ronald, later spotting him on Kennedy Avenue under Burton’s building. He drove to the Ministry building, parked, and went to the Financial Centre to notify the police.
When the police called Ronald over, he collapsed, and people in the area rendered aid to him as he was bleeding profusely from the wound on his leg. An ambulance was called, and Ronald was taken away.
On May 30, 2025, the prosecution applied to have the evidence of the pathologist presented virtually. The pathologist, Dr. Idelmys Alarcon Arango, now based at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center in Antigua, was unable to return to Dominica as she had recently testified in another matter and then left the country.
State Attorney Felix-Frederick submitted that the pathologist had already testified in the Magistrate’s Court and that her evidence was of probative value. Justice Colin Williams granted the application.
The pathologist Dr. Idelmys Alarcon Arango stated that during her examination, Dijon had no anatomical irregularities. She observed an injury on the left part of Dijon’s thoracic region, which is between the bottom of the neck and the top of the diaphragm. She also noted abrasions on the right shoulder and right arm.
She also stated that Dijon sustained a wound consistent with one caused by a sharp weapon. The wound had a unique trajectory, causing damage to the first and third ribs and the muscles in the area. She testified that Dijon’s left lung was injured, resulting in a wound measuring 3.5×5 centimeters with a depth of 6.5 centimeters.
According to the pathologist, this injury caused a large amount of clotted blood in both chest cavities, totaling approximately six liters. The wound had no exit, which she stated was the cause of death. She concluded that Dijon died from hypovolemic shock secondary to internal bleeding. She explained that the amount of force required to inflict this injury had to be significant to pass through bone and muscle.
The pathologist elaborated that hypovolemic shock occurs when there is a significant loss of blood or fluid in the body, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood to vital organs.
In his statement from the prisoner’s dock, Ronald said, “My Lord, to my knowledge, I am very sorry for what happened. I am asking for forgiveness. I pray that the deceased will rest in peace. I have a family of four children, and I am very sorry.”
In her address to the jury, Senior State Attorney Fernillia Felix-Frederick stated that the state had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. She described the attack as “unprovoked” and characterised it as “a senseless killing”. She acknowledged that a knife was not presented as evidence, but argued that the absence of the knife did not change the fact that Ronald committed the offense.
Felix-Frederick urged the jury to give no weight to Ronald’s statement in the dock, emphasising that justice was being sought for the deceased, who could not speak for herself.
However, defense attorney Peter Alleyne stated that Ronald had expressed remorse and that he was not trying to evade the police on the day of the incident but was attempting to go to the police headquarters to report what had happened. He suggested that Ronald was not himself on the day of the incident and raised the issue of “diminished responsibility”. He stressed Ronald’s remorse and asked the jury to consider that he was “throwing himself at the mercy of the court”.