A Jamaican woman who conspired with a man to murder her husband so she could benefit from his estate, valued at millions of US dollars, was on Tuesday convicted of his murder.

Melody Pellinen, 28, of Lyssons, St. Thomas, who was married to 53-year-old Tino Pellinen, a medical doctor from Finland, will be sentenced on December 17.

Marvin Stewart, also of Lyssons, who was charged jointly with Pellinen, was freed this week after the Crown offered no further evidence against him.

The Crown, represented by Crown Counsel Opal Smith, led evidence at the trial in the Trelawny Circuit Court that on October 1, 2005, Pellinen picked up her husband at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James.

She was taking him to a hotel in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, when she stopped along the Harmony Hall main road to urinate. A motor car bumped into the vehicle while Mrs. Pellinen was outside.

Fatally shot

Dr. Pellinen, upon hearing the collision, came out to find out what had happened and was fatally shot.

Evidence was further given that while Mrs. Pellinen was in custody she confessed to another inmate how the murder occurred.

Dr. Pellinen had willed all his properties in Finland, valued at millions of US dollars, to his wife. It was part of the prenuptial agreement that if they were divorced she would not benefit from his properties but, in case of death, she would be the sole beneficiary.

Mr. Justice Courtney Daye presided at the trial. The 12-member jury retired and found Mrs. Pellinen guilty of the charge.