Dog-hearted - As cops hunt Dog Paw, triple murder draws anger
Published:Monday | December 20, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer
The grisly predawn murder of three persons, including a six-year-old boy, yesterday has enraged a leading clergyman who called on other church leaders to vigorously support recently passed anti-crime legislation which some legal experts have deemed unconstitutional and draconian.
Head of the Church of God in Jamaica, the Rev Lenworth Anglin, said churches must take a stand against rampaging gangsters.
Anglin spoke with The Gleaner on Sunday hours after the bloodletting in Bedward Gardens, St Andrew, which has been linked to the notorious Christopher Linton, otherwise called 'Dog Paw', who the police have painted as a deadly crime lord implicated in several murders and shootings.
A $250,000 bounty is on his head.
"This thing has really got out of hand and, as a church, we are really concerned. We had hoped that by now, with the recent success over the past months, things would have been different for the country," the clergyman said, noting that the death of a child was particularly heart-rending.
Among the controversial anti-crime austerity measures are tougher bail conditions for alleged murderers.
Up to late last night, the police had not established a motive for the gruesome murders.
One person listed as a major person of interest and who was taken into custody in the aftermath of the killing is expected to be grilled by investigators in the presence of his attorney later today, the Consta-bulary Communication Network told The Gleaner last night.
Those killed have been identified as six-year-old Jahame McKay, 50-year-old taxi operator Maris Hilton and Diana Forbes, 31, who is unemployed.
According to police reports, about 1:30 a.m., a mini-army of 30 to 40 gunmen attacked occupants at a house in the Alley Four area. Three bodies were discovered when the murder mania subsided, while a fourth man who was shot and injured was hospitalised in serious condition.
Police say a large quantity of 7.62 spent shell cartridges, usually used in SLRs, were also taken from the scene.
Other persons in the cross hairs of the police investigation are Yanik Lewis, o/c 'Slim Shady', of a Jungle 12 address; Micah Allen; a man identified only as Nesbeth of a Tavern Drive address; another known only as Carey of Kintyre; and another man identified as Burger, also of Kintyre.
The police are asking persons with information on the murders and/or the whereabouts of the persons of interest to contact Police Control at 119, Operation Kingfish at 811, or Crime Stop at 311.