A murder that is believed to have taken place in Chalky Hill, St. Ann on Monday, November 9, has raised several questions and has set tongues wagging throughout many sections of St. Ann.
Dead is 79-year-old Winston Samuels of Earl Avenue, Linstead, St. Catherine and of Ireland. He was found shot to death on the rear seat of his car with his hands and feet bound.
For many locals it is the question of ‘who dunnit’, and why, that are uppermost in their minds. Speculation is rife about the reason behind the murder of the owner of the now defunct Irish Rover Club in Drax Hall, St. Ann.
He was found dead at Chalky Hill, St Ann, a few miles from where he once operated the Irish Rover, offering cuisine from Ireland.
FOUND INSIDE CAR
Reports from the Constabulary Communications Unit (CCU) are that at about 10:30 a.m., Monday (November 9) residents of Chalky Hill heard loud explosions in a section of the community and summoned the police. On their arrival, Samuels was seen with gunshot wounds to the head inside the car.
Police investigations are continuing as no motive has been established for the killing.
SPECULATION
There is widespread speculation about his death. Among those questions and theories being put forward is whether the murder was a hit. There are also questions about whether it was related to business dealings of Mr Samuels who reportedly returned to Jamaica recently from Ireland.
And also, there are questions about whether he was indeed murdered in Chalky Hill or his body was taken there in the car after he was killed elsewhere.
A source close to the Criminal Investigative Branch (CIB) of the St. Ann police that wished to remain anonymous said that information from preliminary investigations is that Samuels was killed where the body was found in the car in Chalky Hill, St. Ann that morning. When asked if any motive has yet been established for the killing, the source said that could not be revealed at this time but they are following leads in the parish of St. Ann and outside the parish. No one has yet been arrested in relation to the murder.
Winston Samuels, who was a resident of Ireland for over 40 years, returned to Jamaica to open the Irish Rover pub in Greenwich Park, Drax Hall, St. Ann with his Irish wife. Mr Samuels and his wife both worked in the pub although his wife was not as regularly there as he was as she often went back to Ireland on business.
The pub had delighted several patrons with its wide array of Irish dishes and was Jamaica’s first authentic Irish pub. It catered to locals and tourists and Mr Samuels is said to have invested heavily in the building on land lease from a St Ann family.
Investigations by The Times reveal that on Irish Rover Jamaica’s facebook page a post made on December 12, 2013 stated that the business was no longer trading due to family circumstances. The post read: “Irish Rover is no longer trading due to Family circumstances. Thanks to all who supported us while we were open.” At the end of the post were the names of Samuels and his wife.
