Double murder rocks Westmoreland days after quadruple killing
Published:Wednesday | July 15, 2015 | 12:00 AMPaul Clarke
Western Bureau:
The police in Westmoreland have their hands full with a second multiple murder in a matter of days. This time, a mother and her daughter were shot dead Tuesday night inside their house on Station Road, Little London, in the parish.
Dead are 53-year-old Rose Murray (domestic helper) and 25-year-old Latoya Daley.
Murray and Daley were killed in front of children when a lone gunman entered their house approximately 10 p.m., having waited on Daley to return from church with two of her four children.
Murray's common-law husband told The Gleaner of his loss, stating he was not sure how he would cope with the situation.
"I am so sad right now; so sad," he said, seated on his veranda along with his sons and grandchildren.
"It is a terrible situation. Words are not enough to express what I am feeling. Much less the children."
He recounted the moment his long-time partner and daughter were brutally murdered.
"The man just entered the house saying he wanted 'Toya'. I told him she was not here, so him place a phone call telling the other person she was not home," he said.
Put to sit on bed
"Not long after Rose and Toya arrived and he put them to sit on the bed. I told him I wanted to use the bathroom. Then I heard more talking and then gunshots. I knew they were gone."
The police were called and the scene was processed. No motive has been ascertained for the killings, but Daley believes the double murder has its roots in a criminal case in which his daughter, Latoya, was Crown witness.
"I believe strongly this has something to do with that case. Latoya was a Crown witness. Rose I know don't trouble people. Now she too is gone," lamented Daley.
"The man kill dem in front of the children; what kind of person is that. Can you imagine the effect this will have on the children?" he asked as he fed one of his grandchildren.
It is the second multiple killing in Westmoreland in a matter of days, following Sunday's quadruple murder in Whithorn district in which a 13-year-old was among the victims.
More than 50 people have been murdered in Westmoreland since the start of the year, a 50 per cent increase over the same period last year when the toll stood at 22, according to police statistics.