Ex-lover of dancehall artiste Keshan charged with murder

Today investigators arrested and charged 32-year-old Toni Martin with murder following the questionable death of the prodigious female DJ on July 20, 2019.

This comes after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution ruled that Martin be charged with murder after two years of meticulous work by detectives at the St Catherine South Police Division.

• Female DJ from Old Harbour Keshan Brown dies during domestic dispute
• Tearful send-off for female dancehall artiste Keshan

Martin, otherwise ‘Tonni’ was taken into custody at the Hundred Man Police Station, Portmore following a question and answer session with detectives in the presence of his attorney.

Investigators will now seek to get the earliest possible court date for the accused to face a magistrate, while it is anticipated that his lawyer will apply for bail.

Keshan, born Keneisha Brown at birth, was shot in the head during a physical confrontation with Martin, who is a licensed firearm holder. Martin has claimed self-defense in his alibi to the police.  

The tragic incident, which occurred in Sharper Lane, Church Pen, sent shockwaves throughout Old Harbour and the entertainment circle, as the then 26-year-old was tipped as a very special talent with a very bright future ahead in the business.

Reacting to the development Fitzroy Brown, father of the late artiste, said he’s hopeful that justice will be served.

“A two year and odd now,” he told Old Harbour News, in making reference to the painstaking wait for the family to get to this stage of the investigation, before adding in an optimistic tone: “But there’s a start.”

Keshan had a growing fan base of a budding career following the release of singles Nirvana, Walk Out and Bubble Up Yuh Body, the latter being a collaboration done in 2015 featuring incarcerated dancehall heavyweight Vybz Kartel, which garnered over 2.5 million views on YouTube.

Keshan was laid to rest on September 8, 2019 and her body interred at the Thetford Memorial Park in Church Pen.