Melissa Cylus is set to face trial at the High Court in Demerara this week, nearly seven years after the death of her common-law husband, Julian Anthony Reberio, in a case that has drawn renewed attention to domestic violence and justice in Guyana.

Cylus, who was five months pregnant at the time of the incident, stands accused of manslaughter in connection with Reberio’s death on May 13, 2018, at Soesdyke. The trial, scheduled to commence on June 5 before Justice Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, follows her not-guilty plea entered on June 3, 2025. She is represented by attorneys Travis Ferreira and Yuborn Allicock, while the prosecution is led by state attorneys Marissa Edwards, Praneta Seeraj, and Mtomika Lumumba.

According to police reports, Reberio died as a result of asphyxiation caused by compression injuries to the neck. The case initially saw Cylus charged in 2018, at which time she was granted bail set at $200,000. During the early proceedings, she was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The upcoming trial is expected to scrutinize the circumstances leading up to the fatal incident, with both the prosecution and defense preparing to present their versions of events. The outcome will be closely watched, as it may set important precedents for how similar cases are handled in the future.

As the trial unfolds, the broader issues of domestic relationships, legal accountability, and the complexities surrounding intimate partner violence are likely to come under public discussion once again. The case serves as a stark reminder of the enduring challenges faced by the justice system in addressing the realities of domestic conflict and its sometimes tragic consequences.