Missing farmer’s family want convicted murderer held responsible for ‘death’

Relatives of the Portland farmer who went missing almost nine years ago amid a court case with Denvalyn ‘Bubbla’ Minott, the convicted contract killer in the murder of businesswoman Tonia McDonald, want the police to relaunch an investigation into his disappearance.

Minott, who is currently serving 19 years in prison for his role in the woman’s murder, is a prosecution witness in the murder trial of businessman Everton ‘Beachy Stout’ McDonald, 68, and Oscar Barnes, a 33-year-old St Mary tiler.

The married convict earlier testified that he had been contracted by McDonald to kill his wife, Tonia, for $3 million, but hired Barnes to do the killing as he had never killed anyone before and could not do it.

The missing father of five, Ian Smith, who has since been feared dead, disappeared without a trace on January 28, 2015, a day before the start of his trial with Minott in the then Port Antonio Resident Magistate’s Court.

The 48-year-old murder convict was to face trial on a charge of unlawful wounding for shooting Smith with a fish gun.

Smith’s eldest daughter, Tashagay Smith, said the altercation was over property.

While noting that she did not know the details of what caused the dispute, she recalled that Minott was permitted to farm on a piece of property next to her father’s farm at the time.

However, she said the dispute resulted in Minott going for his fish spear to shoot her father.

“His lung was damaged, and he spent quite a long time in the [National] Chest Hospital,” she shared.

Minott was a person of interest in Smith’s disappearance but was never charged. According to former crime officer in charge of Portland, Superintendent Richard Hylton, the evidence was never enough to charge him.

“We dug up probably about two or three areas that we were told look suspicious, and we thought were shallow graves but, up to this date, his body was never found,” he said.

The younger Smith, who was very emotional during a phone interview with The Gleaner, said the family, to date, has not got any closure and wants the police to resume their investigation into the case with a focus on Minott, who the family is convinced has something to do with their father’s disappearance.

Ominous words

The daughter said her father was going to sue Minott for his injuries, but she was told that he remarked that her father “naa go live fi spend that money”.

Smith and her siblings, who to this date have not been able to bring themselves to host a memorial for their father, said she was moved to contact the police after she saw Minott in the news admitting to shooting her dad with a fish gun.

Minott, while undergoing cross-examination from attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend, last October admitted that a man whom he had shot disappeared before their case was tried and has not been seen since.

He also confirmed that the case was thrown out due to the man going missing but denied that he benefited from the man’s disappearance.

Minott, who had grudgingly admitted to being a convicted murderer and thief, also acknowledged that he had shot one or two people with his fish gun.

However, the fisherman, who readily accepted that he would often pull his machete at people, told the court, “I am not a criminal. I just commit crimes.”

Smith says her family has had a rough time dealing with her father’s disappearance.

Asked how his disappearance affected her, she said, with her voice starting to crack, “Very bad. Mi go inna depression. Even now talking about him bring tears to my eyes.”

Indicating that her father’s disappearance also affected her younger brother, she said her father had promised him that he had several plans for them to embark on when he got older and, to this day, her brother still wonders what those plans were.

Additionally, Smith said her father’s brother took it very hard and developed mental problems and to date wanders about, talking to himself.

“With everything that happens, a bare people a call mi a say me fi get justice for my father,” she said.

Her hope, she added, is that Minott will be charged for her father’s murder and that he confesses where her father’s body is buried.

Next Saturday will mark nine years since her father went missing. Asked to describe what the day is usually like for the family, she said, “We just normally go in a depression. We can’t bring ourselves to celebrate his life.”

Smith added: “I think when we get justice, we might be able to celebrate his life.”

According to the woman, who had a close relationship with her father, she last spoke to him a day before the court case after he asked her to press the outfit that he had planned on wearing.

However, she said she did not see her father when he came to collect the outfit but discovered he was missing after he failed to show up at the hearing. Added to that, Smith said when she checked his house she saw the outfit that he was supposed to wear.

In the meantime, Superintendent Hylton said when he realised that Minott was involved in the murder case he reached out to the investigating officer, after Smith called him, and asked her to look back at the case. He indicated however that he would have to follow up with her to see if anything was done or is being done.

“Criminal matters are never closed. Once we have witnesses coming forward and we can verify them, we can go ahead and, once we have the evidence, we are going to go for it,” he added.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com