Family terrified after three members killed in two years

A St Catherine family is now living in fear after the brutal murder of three of its members in separate incidents occurring in the last two years.

The latest victims are 58-year-old Michael Slue and his 26-year-old son, Michael Slue Jr, whose bodies were discovered on Monday about 5:30 p.m. in bushes on the family’s 17-acre property in Worthy Park, St Catherine.

The bodies had multiple bullet wounds.

Seventy-nine-year-old Owen Slue, father and grandfather of the victims, was very distraught when The Gleaner visited his family home in Lluidas Vale, St Catherine, on Tuesday.

He said that he was stumped by the news on Monday after losing his first son, Charlie Slue, two years ago. Charlie’s body was discovered with gunshot wounds in proximity to the location where the bodies of his brother and nephew were found this week.

“Mi nuh know how to cope. Mi restless, not eating anything,” he said. “Him (Michael Sr) a mi second [son] to die like that and now mi grandson, too. Mi nuh know who else in the family them after,” said the elder Slue, who is the father of 13 children.

“My son and grandson a very nice people. Not even ants dem nuh kill, so the news really shake me up,” he continued.

Slue, who suffers from prostate cancer, said that the slain father and son live by themselves about a mile and a half from where their bodies were discovered.

He said they left their house on Sunday morning to prepare a section of the property to plant sugar cane. The proceeds, he added, was to help pay for his cancer treatment.

When the men did not return home, relatives became concerned.

“It was one of mi other sons who go look for dem and find dem body yesterday (Monday). A five years now this a gwaan. A 17 acre. Everybody can get piece,” he added, suggesting that a feud over the property could be behind the murders.

Without elaborating, he disclosed that he harbours no fear for his own safety, but he is concerned that other members of his family could be the next victims.

A close relative of the deceased men told The Gleaner that a sense of fear is now gripping the family.

“I don’t want to say anything because I am so afraid,” said the relative.

A team from the Major Investigation Division, which was combing the crime scene for evidence on Tuesday, was tight-lipped about their investigations so far.

One of the detectives, however, noted that the matter is very sensitive and that they have to protect the interest of the family, who could still be in grave danger at this time, while they carry out their investigations.

ruddy.mathison@gleanerjm.com