Police in St Mary are scratching their heads over who shot dead a 53-year-old St Mary man, living in the US, and why.Errol Osborne was shot and killed about 9:20 Friday morning January 2, just outside his family house at Fontabelle, St Mary.However, people in Fontabelle and the nearby community of Jacks River have their own solid motive and told North Coast Times the police should know why.Mr Osbourne was gunned down at his gate just off the intersection of the Fontabelle and Lucky Hill road near Jacks River, in the Oracabessa police division.Reports are that Osbourne who lives overseas with his family returned to Jamaica December 16 on one of his regular trips. Osbourne takes care of a family home and farm at Fontabelle and that morning had gone to pick up two male friends to help him do some work on the farm.
KILLED AT GATE
As they drove up to the neatly kept premises, about 50 yards from the intersection of the Fontabelle and Lucky Hill Main Road near Jacks River a man approached on foot, and opened fire, hitting Osbourne at least twice. The friends who were to help with the farming were not attacked and ran away.
“All now dem looking behind them. Dem frighten,” said a Jacks River resident, Sunday.
Investigations by the North Coast Times showed that Osbourne who has only one close relative, a brother in Jamaica, often visited the home left by his mother and father at Fontabelle, and maintained the farm adjoining it.
It was further reported that he has been accused of having a relationship with a woman who is intimate with another man. The man had reportedly sent message to Osbourne and two weeks earlier an attempt was made on his life at the home when two men tried to enter.. Reports said that was the second attempt on Mr Osbourne’s life.Visitors who came to the home Sunday and found a locked house said everyone knew this was the third attempt. “Three time badlucky” said a woman who said she knew Osbourne and his family well.
Mr Osbourne who has been visiting Jamaica for over 20 years since he migrated was living with his wife and two children in Texas, USA. Mr Osbourne who also worked overseas as a fabricator, operated a farm in St Mary. A close family friend who asked not to be identified told the North Coast Times that Mr Osbourne paid someone to overlook the farm while he is away and visited Jamaica at least once per year to work on the farm.She also said about two weeks before his death, gun men attempted to rob him at his home. He was not hurt in that incident because the gun men did not gain entry to the house he was staying in.
The family friend says most of the Osbourne family are living overseas and are expected to arrive on the island soon. The family she says is in a state of shock and members are overwhelmed with mourning because just last year on one of his visits to Jamaica, Mr Osbourne’s mother was laid to rest. “His death has really shocked the family because he has been visiting Jamaica for years, and on no occasion was his life threatened. His death has not only affected the family badly but also has intensified the family’s grief,” she said.
Acting head of the St Mary police, Assistant Superintendent Dwight Powell, says no one has been taken into custody for the murder. He says however that investigations are on-going and they are following leads. Osbourne’s murder is the first for the parish for 2015.
