Another double murder rocks Westmoreland

DAYS AFTER thieves murdered two goat farmers in Westmoreland, gunmen struck again in the parish on Monday night, this time in the small community of Kingswood, where they shot and killed a common-law couple.

The latest victims have been identified as 45-year-old Chaldon Anthony Calder, otherwise called ‘Chino’, or ‘Tony’, and his common-law wife, 33-year-old Shellett Reid, popularly known as ‘Ms T’.

The Savanna-la-Mar police reported that the couple was killed at Calder’s gate shortly after 9 p.m.

According to reports, Calder had picked up Reid at her home in another section of the community and drove to his house. He alighted from the vehicle and was in the process of opening the gate when he was pounced upon by armed men and shot multiple times.

The gunmen then shot Reid, who was seated inside the vehicle, multiple times, before escaping on a motorcycle.

Residents in the community alerted the police and upon arrival both victims, who were found suffering from gunshot wounds, were rushed to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Dozens of family members and friends who gathered at the respective homes on Tuesday expressed shock and disbelief at the murders – especially because the incident occurred metres from a Jamaica Defence Force checkpoint.

“Right now I am traumatised. From last night I haven’t slept, mi a tell you. Right now mi nervous,” said Ted, who identified himself as Calder’s cousin and closest friend.

“It comes as a shock to all of us because this community is basically one of the crime-free communities in Westmoreland and this is the first time we’re really having a murder in the area, especially Tony, a man who mi grow up with and we even wear each other’s clothes,” he added.

Ted said that minutes before the shooting, there was a party at a bar located at the same spot where Calder and Reid were murdered. However, the bar operator closed the shop as the islandwide coronavirus curfew neared.

Reid’s mother, Cherry-Ann Watson, could scarcely find words to express her grief.

Watson said that only hours before the incident, her daughter had transported her home from hospital, where she had been admitted for days.

“When she and her brother come fi me and carry mi home, them up here a talk until she say to mi say, ‘All right, Mommy, mi a go cover you up inna the room,’” Watson said.

“She get a sheet and cover me up in the hall, so me come back now from in there, until she say she a go down (home), and after she left, next thing I hear is that she dead.”

Meanwhile, at press time Tuesday night, police said that they were anticipating a breakthrough in the case by the end of the week.

Last week Monday, goat thieves murdered 65-year-old Henry Jones and 44-year-old Brian Chambers, two goat farmers, of Crowder district, Grange Hill.

hopeton.bucknor@gleanerjm.com