Twenty-two-year-old labourer Shaka “Concrete Man” Phillips on Monday pleaded guilty to murdering his former partner, 26-year-old teacher and mother of three Jenel Pollydore, who was shot dead during a wedding reception in Linden last year.
Phillips, of Amelia’s Ward, Linden, entered the guilty plea before Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif at the Demerara High Court and is scheduled to return on September 30 for sentencing.
Pollydore, of Lower Kara Kara, Linden, was fatally shot on July 19, 2025, while attending a wedding reception at the R&R Hotel in Central Amelia’s Ward.
Phillips, who is the father of Pollydore’s youngest child, allegedly confronted her during the reception after questioning her about not answering his telephone calls.
An argument reportedly followed, during which Phillips allegedly drew a handgun and shot her.
Police said Pollydore attempted to flee towards the hotel’s pool area, but Phillips pursued her and allegedly fired two additional shots before leaving the scene.
Responding police ranks found Pollydore motionless near the pool with gunshot wounds to the right side of her face and the back of her head.
Two spent 9mm shells were recovered at the scene.
She was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police later disclosed that Pollydore had ended her relationship with Phillips and had previously obtained a restraining order against him following alleged incidents of domestic abuse.
Phillips was arrested the day after the killing and subsequently charged with murder.
He initially appeared virtually before Magistrate Rondel Weever at the Linden Magistrate’s Court, where the indictable charge was read to him.
He was not required to enter a plea at that stage and was remanded to prison.
Following Monday’s guilty plea, the case has moved to the sentencing stage.
Justice Chandra-Hanif has ordered that psychiatric, prison conduct and probation reports be prepared, along with reports addressing the aggravating and mitigating circumstances of the offence.
Phillips remains on remand and is expected to return before the judge on September 30, when the court will consider the reports before determining his sentence.
