Two longtime friends were murdered yesterday afternoon at Guaratta Hill, Upper Maracas, St Joseph, in what police believe was a hit ordered from behind prison walls.
Police said following the murders of Keston Charles, 31, and Anton Du Four, 37, both of Blood Street, Maracas, St Joseph, a PH driver was allegedly held for aiding the gunmen in their escape.
Police said they received vital information from an informant that the killing was orchestrated from the jail and was connected to the murder of Sherwin Wallace on Saturday morning, a short distance from yesterday’s double murders. The killing of the two pushed the number of murders to 106 for the year.
Police said residents yesterday reported hearing gunshots and later found the two men dead around 5 pm. Police said they believe the men were set up, as moments before they were killed they had been called to the area by unknown people “for a smoke”. An unlit marijuana cigarette was found in the hand of one of the men.
Wallace, 38, an information technology teacher at Belmont Boys’ Secondary, was killed around 2.45 am on Saturday. Police said while driving his Suzuki Grand Vitara along Maracas Royal Road, gunmen opened fire on Wallace.
The carload of heavily armed masked men then pulled in front of the vehicle and continued firing. He died at the scene.
His friend, Quincy Small, of La Seiva, Maraval, was shot in the leg during the attack and remained warded yesterday in stable condition at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mount Hope.
Yesterday, residents said the men were “quiet fellas” who were never involved in any criminal activity. Their relatives said the same as Du Four’s mother, Antonia, cried asking why her only child was taken from her.
The distraught woman called on God for strength as she was consoled by relatives.
An aunt of Du Four, who did not want to be identified, said she last saw him about two days before his death and claimed he was living in Kelly Village.
She said the last thing she recalled her nephew telling her was that he was going to live for his two sons, both under the age of five. She said her nephew was “in and out of trouble” but was now staying clear of bad company.
Relatives of Charles denied the father of one was involved in any criminality. They said he lived in the area and were surprised he was killed, given his non-involvement in anything illegal.
Homicide officers are continuing investigations.