Former civil servant jailed for 38 years for murder of his wife

A former civil servant has been sentenced to 38 years imprisonment for the murder of his wife.

On August 16, 2023, a jury found that Mitchell Israel, 61 with malice aforethought, caused the death of his wife, Arianna Taylor, by an unlawful act.

The sentencing took place today, November 6, at High Court #2 in Kingstown before Justice Rickie Burnett.

The deceased was a Cuban born nurse who had moved to St Vincent and the Grenadines where she worked at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. She was shot sometime after 3 pm on January 30 2020, in the vicinity of St Martin’s Secondary School where one of their sons was a student.

Israel has already spent approximately four years on remand, so that time will be deducted. He therefore has 34 years, two months and 27 days remaining to serve.

The prosecution was led by DPP Sejilla Mcdowall and Richie Maitland and assisted by Kaylia Toney, while counsel Linton Lewis and his daughter Maffica Lewis appeared for the defence.