Security guard was in jovial mood before killing his girlfriend
Published:Friday | July 15, 2016 | 12:00 AMJason Cross
Managing Director of KingAlarm Ltd John P. Azar yesterday described as an "absolute shock" the incident in which one of his security guards, Paul Martin, shot and killed his common-law wife, Collette Hibbert, before killing himself.
Hibbert was employed to Guardsman Group.
Azar maintained that Martin displayed no signs of displeasure or what his intentions were even minutes before the incident, which took place on Friday morning.
"He always struck me as being a very level-headed person, a very mild-mannered and quiet personality, and proved himself over the years to be a reliable and trustworthy individual. That's why we are in such absolute shock. Certainly, there [was] absolutely no indication of what was to transpire. From all prior experience with him, he would be one of the last people I would ever expect to carry out an act like that," Azar said.
Speaking to members of the team, Azar said they reported having dialogue with Martin yesterday morning. "When he came into the office, when he was going on the road, he appeared very normal, perfectly stable state of mind, was being jovial as he normally would be with his team members. I can only surmise that something must have taken place when he went there. I don't know what could have triggered that," he said.
COUNSELLING
Azar said that his focus now is to ensure that the daughter of the two deceased gets proper counselling and gets full support in her time of mourning the loss of both parents.
"My focus, subsequent to hearing about it, has been on our staff and on his family, including their daughter, who he oftentimes spoke to me highly about, including how proud he was of her academic achievements. We've reached out because somebody has lost not only a father but also a mother in one scoop," Azar told The Gleaner.
Eyewitness Lavern Hamilton said that he saw Martin come from an armoured vehicle. "Money him come collect, him and him co-worker dem. Is like him waa inna a bag a argument wid har. She seh why you come at ma work place; stop come at ma work place. I tell you I don't want you anymore. The man just tek out him gun and jus lick out her head back. Him put the gun inna him forehead and lick out fi him head back," he recounted.