Relief for residents as mom's ex-partner caught in connection with 8-y-o's murder

It was all smiles on the faces of residents of Richie Lane, in the vicinity of Spanish Town Road in Kingston, when they received news that the man they believe killed eight-year-old Galen Buchanan was caught in Trelawny earlier today. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Corporate Communications Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said Phillip Rose, who also goes by several other names, is currently in police custody. 

He was caught in Daniel Town, Trelawny.

That brought great joy to Galen's mother, Tamara Lewis. 

“Mi feel a little bit betta because dem catch him,” Lewis told The Gleaner, adding that Rose has not called her since Friday morning.

Rose's last communication with Lewis came when he called her to protest his innocence while also offering to pay for Galen's funeral. 

The boy's body was found in Kingston Harbour, near the Manley Meadows housing scheme in the eastern part of the city on Thursday afternoon, two days after he was reportedly abducted from his Richie Lane home by Rose on Tuesday. 

Rose and Lewis had been in a common-law relationship which ended Monday when the child's mother broke up with him after finding out about his alleged violent past. 

Lewis said the police informed her that her voter’s identification (ID) was found on Rose when the police apprehended him. 

“The police were carrying out an operation when they caught him," Lindsay said of the man who had been listed as a person of interest in the death of the boy. "He is currently being questioned.”

Lewis said Rose must have taken her ID on Monday. 

"Mi miss it enuh, because mi TRN, ID and bank card always deh one place inna wah likkle pouch, but mi head nuh deh yah, so mi not even know what else him take right now,” she said.  

A resident who spoke with The Gleaner said she was happy the police caught Rose.

“Mi glad dem a do dem work, enuh, because him need fi go down fi dis. Mi sorry seh a never Kingston dem hold on pon him, still,” the woman said.

According to eyewitnesses, Galen was taken from his home Tuesday evening by Rose, who said he was taking him to buy ice cream.  

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