Collymore wipes tears as father-in-law recalls hearing of murder

Businessman Omar Collymore, who had reportedly threatened that he was going to see his wife’s family “crumbled”, was in tears yesterday as he watched her father crying while recalling the dreadful moment when he learnt of her death.

Simone Campbell-Collymore, 32, was reportedly shot 21 times at the gate of her Stanley Terrace, St Andrew, home on January 2, 2018. Taxi driver Winston Watson, 36, who was transporting her at the time, was also killed in the attack.

The father-in-law, who described his “firstborn” as the consummate wife, mother and businesswoman, battled unsuccessfully to maintain his composure while giving his evidence-in-chief in the Home Circuit Court, where Collymore and his three co-defendants are on trial.

The men, including Michael Adams, Dewayne Pink and Shaquile Edwards, are being tried for two counts each of murder and a count of conspiracy.

Recalling the day when he heard about his daughter’s death, the father said he was home in the afternoon when he returned two missed calls from Collymore, who immediately said, “Paps, where are you?” and told him to get to his home urgently.

The witness said that he responded by saying, “Brethren, but me nuh know where you live”, before rushing to the murder scene then later the funeral home, where he saw his daughter’s body on a stretcher.

However, he said Collymore only told him that something had happened and then a police officer came on the phone and told him that his daughter was shot.

PAINFUL RECOLLECTION

The father, who, at this point, broke down in tears, was observed clenching his fist before clutching on to the dock railing for support as he doubled over in pain.

A serious-looking Collymore, who appeared to have lost weight over the years and was sporting locks, wiped his eyes at that very moment as he watched his father-in-law testifying.

Continuing his testimony, the father said that three months before Simone’s death, he and his wife were away on vacation when another daughter told him about the threat that he would watch the family crumble.

The threat, he said, caused a rift in the “perfect father-son” relationship that he shared with Omar.

A month before his daughter’s death, the witness said the entire family went to counselling and during one of the sessions, both he and the counsellor, a pastor, asked Collymore to clarify what he meant, but he refused. He also did not deny the threat.

Following the sessions, the father said that Collymore later approached him, indicating that he had something to say, but when given the opportunity, he did not apologise.

Asked by lead prosecutor Andrea Martin-Swaby what their relationship was like then, he said, “The relationship had gotten strained and we weren’t speaking much.”

But before that, he said they had the perfect relationship, which would even see them wearing each other’s clothes.

The court also heard that the couple had been living with Simone’s parents since 2010, but that Collymore had moved out after a rift with Simone’s father and his wife. She joined him shortly after.

The father also told the court that the couple went on a cruise after he had returned from his vacation in September 2017.

BECAME ‘WAYWARD’

He mentioned that while his daughter worked tirelessly in the couple’s two businesses, Collymore became “wayward”, devoting less time to the enterprises while spending time partying and doing other things.

Earlier in the trial, his wife, whose distress was also evident, and who had also broken down in tears, testified that following her daughter’s death, she found four life insurance policies in a safe in the couple’s office.

She said that Simone’s insurance, which had Omar and their two children as beneficiaries, was valued at $120 million.

During cross-examination from Collymore’s lawyer, Diane Jobson, the mother said there was also one for her son-in-law and the two children, but she did not remember looking at the value for Collymore’s policy.

The witness also testified that when she learnt of her daughter’s death, she immediately called Collymore and asked him about four times what happened, and he said nothing.

Up to this day, he has not said anything to her, the mother said, even though she had shouted at him in anguish saying, “… You mean you tek me pickney out a mi house and guh get har killed?”

The mother also testified that it was the parents who had handled the funeral arrangements and that Collymore did not attend the service.

However, when asked by Jobson, if she was aware that Collymore had been shot and hospitalised four days earlier, she said that she had heard it on the news.

Under further cross-examination, the mother said the counselling sessions were also to address the issue of infidelity in the couple’s marriage, but she could not recall who was the guilty partner.

The trial continues on Thursday.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com