Burke Road on edge after brazen double murder
Published:Thursday | September 19, 2024 | 12:09 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
The Major Investigation Division (MID) has reportedly taken over a probe surrounding the brazen double killing of a man and woman late Monday, which has left the community of Burke Road in Kingston on edge.
The deceased have been identified as 48-year-old Phillipa Gordon, otherwise called ‘Philly’, a janitor of Caledonia Lane, Kingston 13, and 54-year-old Andre Wanhue of Grove Road, Kingston 10.
The Gleaner understands that Gordon may have been the target of the attack due to an incident that occurred in the community earlier this year involving a relative who has since relocated.
Wanhue is reportedly her spouse, who frequented the community.
Sources said Gordon had been warned to leave the space.
“From Monday the place come in like ghost town. Yes, she did know that they wanted to hurt her. Is like dem couldn’t get to the relative, so dem take it out pon her, and her man get hurt same time. It nuh look good inna the community,” a resident told The Gleaner.
Reports from the Hunts Bay police are that about 9:10 p.m., police were on patrol when they observed a Nissan Wingroad motor car parked along the roadway.
The team went to investigate and found Wanhue around the steering wheel, suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper body.
Gordon was seen lying along the roadway with gunshot wounds to the body.
The crime scene was processed, and the bodies were removed to the morgue.
‘All-out war’
“We are scared. Once dem start kill woman, it a go become an all-out war because woman nuh like run up and down like man. You hurt one side, these people just pree violence and seek fi hurt anyone dem can catch. We want the police dem fi stay inna di community just like how dem stay a Rodney Road and Maxfield Avenue,” a concerned resident told The Gleaner.
The police are asking anyone with information that could assist their investigation to come forward.
The St Andrew South Police Division has seen a string of murders and shootings in the last few weeks.
Up to September 14, the division had recorded a 19 per cent reduction in murders.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force has reported that 69 murders were committed up to that time, compared to 85 for the corresponding period in 2023.
All other major crimes have declined since the start of the year.
The national murder toll now stands at 825, a 17 per cent decline year on year.