Man to serve 66 years for eight murders
Published:Saturday | August 3, 2019 | 12:21 AMNickoy Wilson/Gleaner Writer
Having pleaded guilty last month to using an illegal firearm to commit eight murders over a three-month period in 2014, Kemar Thompson, 29, was this week sentenced to serve roughly 66 and a half years before being eligible for parole.
He had also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of firearm and robbery with aggravation.
The sentencing was handed down by Justice Lorna Shelly-Williams when the matter was called up for sentencing at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.
In the first incident, which took place on August 14, 2014, at approximately 6:57 a.m., the eyewitness said she saw Thompson and Carlton Blake in the middle of the road in Pineapple Lane, Bog Walk, St Catherine. She said Thompson pulled a firearm from his waist and shot Blake.
Four killed in robbery
Just under two months later, on October 12, 2014, Thompson, along with accomplices, went to Bowerswood main road in Giblatore, St Catherine.
Thompson and his cronies intercepted a motor car in which Courtley Cobourne, Craig Harris, and Carlton Scott were travelling with $1.5 million to a China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) site.
All three men were shot dead by Thompson and the money was taken from the car.
Kirk Foot, a passer-by who stopped to enquire what was happening, was also killed by Thompson.
Less than two weeks later, on October 22, 2014, at approximately 9 a.m. at Pineapple Lane in Bog Walk, St Catherine, an eyewitness said she was at home when she went out to her gate and saw Thompson, dressed in a black hoodie, running behind two men.
While he was running, the portion of the shirt covering his head blew off. Thompson then ran into a yard, after which explosions were heard.
The eyewitness then walked to where she had heard the explosions and saw two men, who were later identified as deceased Norman Nolan and Patrick Cummings, lying on the ground.
Shortly thereafter in the same area, explosions were heard and another man by the name of Mathie Taylor was found shot to death.
The murders were done using an illegal firearm.
In relation to the first incident, Thompson was sentenced to 17 years and seven months, the second for 40 years, and the third for 26 years and seven months.
The sentences for the first and third incidents are to run concurrently while the sentence handed down for the second incident is to be served afterwards.