By: Sugar Ray Thomas
North Coast Times
Five days after he escaped police custody at the Port Maria Hospital in St Mary, 25-year-old Dwight Henry, remains on the run.
Henry, also called “Dougie” or “Chino” of Wentworth, Port Maria in the parish, was charged on June 29 last year for the murder of two US missionaries last year.
Those killed were 48-year-old Randy Hentzel, and 53-year-old Harold Nichols.
Interestingly, Henry was also charged for unlawful wounding with two other inmates in relation to a fight while in custody. Both cases are before the St Mary Parish Court.
Police have not given great details on what transpired at the Port Maria Hospital last Wednesday.
However a report from the Port Maria police stated that Henry – who was being held at the Oracabessa police station lock-up- complained of feeling unwell and was taken to the Port Maria Hospital at around 1:40 pm.
However, Henry later escaped the custody of the police.
The Times understands from some persons at the hospital that Henry and another prisoner were taken to the hospital to seek medical attention.
It was while Henry was being taken to use the bathroom at the facility that he ran off. There has been no detail as to how many officers accompanied the two prisoners to the hospital.
The police, along with assistance from Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) officers searched the Port Maria area last Wednesday, but there was still no sign of Henry.
The search has continued, but only two wanted men from St Catherine and St Elizabeth were caught on Friday, January 6 in Oracabessa, St Mary.
News also emerged last Friday that there was a shakeup in the management of the St Mary police. Confirmation came on the weekend from communications officer at the Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), Stephanie Lindsay that head of the St Mary police, deputy superintendent Dwight Powell and officer in charge of operations, deputy superintendent (DSP) Gary Flash are to be transferred to Kingston.
The police have since established a telephone hotline for people desirous of sharing information that can assist with the recapture of Dwight Henry.
Interested individuals are encouraged to call 994-2452, police 119 emergency number or the nearest police station.
The police have also urged citizens that they are to be on the lookout for any strangers in their community and to call the numbers if they suspect Henry may be seeking refuge in the area.
In addition, they are reminding the public that it is a criminal offence to harbour a fugitive and that any offender will face the full extent of the law should they be caught assisting Henry or any other escapee.
In the meantime, the murder case against Dwight Henry and his co-accused Andre Thomas was set to be mentioned in January, while a hearing in the case was set for February 17 in the St Mary Parish Court.
Randy Hentzel and Harold Nichols of US outreach group, TEAMS for Medical Missions were found dead in Albion Mountain district in St Mary on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1, respectively.
The two were reportedly last seen alive when they left Tower Isle, St Mary on motorcycles about 8:00 am on Saturday, April 30.
Residents later stumbled upon their bodies. Hentzel was found face down with the hands bound and Nichols’ body was found with his head bashed in.
Autopsies later showed that Hentzel died of a gunshot wound while Nichols had a gunshot and chop wounds.
