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Justice Leighton Pusey has ruled that Constable Noel Maitland has a case to answer in the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Donna-Lee Donaldson, and for preventing the lawful burial of her body.
Mr. Maitland is expected to start presenting his defence on Monday.
The ruling followed oral submissions from both the prosecution and defence in the Home Circuit Court on Thursday after the parties had filed written arguments following the close of the prosecution's case.
Ms. Donaldson, a 24-year-old entrepreneur, was reported missing on July 13, 2022.
Mr. Maitland was arrested and charged with both offences.
The trial, which began in May 2025 before a seven-member jury, saw the prosecution call 36 witnesses. Among them was Ms. Donaldson's mother, who testified that her daughter was last seen alive on July 11, 2022, when Mr. Maitland picked her up from her home in St. Andrew. She also said she spoke with her daughter on the morning of July 12.
In a statement to the police on July 15, 2022, Mr. Maitland said Ms. Donaldson left his Chelsea Manor apartment in St. Andrew that morning after an argument over a photo of his child's mother and his threat to end their relationship.
He claimed repeated calls to her cell went unanswered.
However, a government forensic analyst testified last month that blood traces recovered from items in Mr. Maitland's New Kingston apartment matched Ms. Donaldson's DNA.
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