New Movie, Ottey Sisters, Recounts the Brutal Murders of Marsha and Tami Ottey

The murders of Marsha and Tami Ottey in Toronto 31 years ago, remains one of the most gruesome incidents in Canada. Avis Ottey, their Jamaican mother, returned home from work in August, 1995 and discovered their lifeless bodies.

Dwight Benjamin and Tamara Gilmore in a scene from Ottey Sisters. (contributed image)That brutal episode is recalled in Ottey Sisters, a movie written and directed by Dwight Benjamin. It was released on May 29 on Theater Giant, a pay-per-view streaming service.

Ottey Sisters is close to home for Benjamin, who plays himself in the movie.

“I was involved in this story and it’s very personal to me. I was dating the younger sister Tami when the two sisters tragically passed away, so this is to honor her memory and also a healing process for me at the same time,” he told Caribbean Today. 

Benjamin said it took five years to complete Ottey Sisters which also stars Tamara Gilmore as Tami. He put up the $150,000 to make the film, with Randy Biglow, Sheree Butler and Dexter Davis completing the cast.

Tami was 16 years-old at the time of her death, three years younger than Marsha. The older sister was a promising student athlete who graduated from Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate in Toronto, and earned a track scholarship to the University of Arkansas.

Tami was a Grade 11 student at Agincourt Collegiate Institute, also in Toronto.

Rohan Ranger, Marsha’s ex-boyfriend, and his cousin Adrian Kinkead, were found guilty for their murders. Ranger was granted parole in 2022, while Kinkead is still incarcerated.

Benjamin is from Clarendon parish in rural Jamaica. He migrated to Canada as a child, settling in Toronto which has a large Jamaican and West Indian community.

Formally trained in directing, screenplay writing and film production at the Theater of Arts Hollywood in Los Angeles, Ottey Sisters is his first major project. He says it has the blessing of Avis Ottey which means a lot to him.

“Even to this very day Ms. Ottey is like a Mom to me. We talk very often on the phone, we talk about the past, cry together, vent our frustrations on the crimes, and really be there for each other after such a long time,” he said.