Man charged with slaying of mother

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Staff Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A 25-YEAR-OLD man, charged in the brutal slaying of a mother of two, was arraigned in Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Police have charged Valentino Hanna Dorsette, alias "Ballistic" of Sesame Street, with the murder of Tagia Soles-Armony, 29. Dorsette appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethel in Court 8, Bank Lane on the charges of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger the life of another.

It is alleged that on Friday, August 7, Dorsette intentionally caused the death of TaGia Soles-Armony and was in possession of a 9mm pistol with intent to endanger the life of her son Zen Armony.

According to reports, Soles-Armony was shot outside her mother's home in Sea Breeze as she sat in her car breast feeding her three-month-old son. Injured and with her son in her arms, TaGia reportedly tried to escape her attacker, only to rear-end a parked car and hit two other parked vehicles nearby before coming to a stop. Family and friends believe that Soles-Armony -- who had just returned home from St Kitts where she lived with her husband -- may have been a victim of mistaken identity or the target of an armed robbery gone wrong.

Dorsette, who is represented by attorney Krysta Smith, was not required to enter a plea to the murder and gun possession charges. Ms Smith requested that her client be taken to hospital because he had been "bringing up" blood. Magistrate Bethel said that arrangements would be made for Dorsette to be seen by a doctor at Her Majesty's Prison. Dorsette was remanded to Her Majesty's Prison yesterday. The case has been transferred to Court 11, Nassau Street and adjourned to August 24, which is when a date will be set for the start of a preliminary inquiry.

Published On:Tuesday, August 18, 2009