Murder stands at #100

Murder now stands at #50 as of Thursday September 04th 2015,

THE country’s murder count for the year now officially stands at 100 - after police yesterday

classified the death of a man, whose family believes was beaten and robbed before he died in hospital last week, as a homicide.

#Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander told The Tribune that police have two persons in custody for questioning in connection with the murder investigation.

#Police launched an official investigation into the death of 64-year-old John Henry Frazier on Monday, after he was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital on August 24 suffering from injuries to the body. He died in hospital on August 26.

#Initially police said an autopsy would have to be performed to determine the exact cause of death. They did not immediately classify the death as a homicide.

#A relative told The Tribune that Frazier, who also went by the name John Chanler, was assaulted while attempting to repair a flat tyre on his vehicle in the Collins Avenue and Gibbs Corner area.

#The relative said the attack happened around 4pm on Tuesday last week, although police have said Mr Frazier arrived at the hospital a day earlier.

#A relative of the deceased told The Tribune that on his way to the PMH, Frazier managed to contact his mother, informing her of what had happened to him. Later hospital officials told his mother that he would require an emergency procedure after medical tests showed severe bleeding in his skull, The Tribune was told.

#The relative said while in surgery, Frazier’s heart failed and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

#The victim’s younger sister, Jackie Frazier, when contacted for comment, claimed the family was forced to piece together small facts gathered through phone calls that relatives had with the victim hours before his death.

#“We are struggling to understand this,” she said during a recent interview. “All we know at this time is that he was struck in the head … drove himself to the hospital and that he had to have surgery.”

#The country’s murder count so far this year continues to outpace the figure for last year at this point. At the end of August 2014, the country had recorded 84 homicides, according to police statistics.

#Last year, the Bahamas did not record 100 murders until the first week of November.

#Earlier this week, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said the government could not “wave a magic wand” and erase crime, adding that those who expect a quick fix on the problem are in for a “sad awakening.”

Murder count #99 31/08/2015

Murder count stands at #99 as of Monday August 31 2015,

A 24-year-old man was shot in the back of his head and killed early yesterday morning at his home off Fire Trail Road.

#Police have not identified the victim, but family members said he is Omar Barton, a father-of-one.

#Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, acting officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, said police received reports shortly after 3.30am that shots were heard inside a home in the Jubilee Gardens subdivision.

#“When police arrived on the scene, they found the lifeless body of a male in the front section of the home with a gunshot wound. Police do not have a motive for the shooting at this time. However, we have an adult male in custody who is assisting us with this investigation,” Chief Supt Fernander said.

#Mr Barton’s brother, Oneil Thurston, admitted that his brother was “no angel” and had “run ins with the law”, but said he did not deserve to die.

#“He was not a perfect person. He had his ups and downs with the law, but he loved his family and we loved him,” Mr Thurston told The Tribune.

#“He got into trouble when he was growing up but it was nothing serious, petty theft and smoking and stuff but he did not have a record and he did not do anything serious. He was working for himself and getting himself together.

#“We think this is a domestic incident and we think someone knows something. We just want justice for him. That’s all my mother wants and she isn’t doing very well right now.”

#This latest homicide brought the country’s murder count to 99 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

Murder count #98

Murder stands at #98 as of Saturday 29 August 2015,

ONE MAN is dead and two other men are fighting for their lives in hospital after they were shot in two separate incidents early Saturday morning.

#The latest incident took place shortly after 2am on Minnie Street.

#Police said they received information that several shots were fired in the Wulff Road area. When officers arrived on the scene, they found two men lying on the ground suffering from multiple gunshots wounds. One man died on the scene a short while later he has been identified as Quincy Ferguson and the other victim was taken to hospital by ambulance where he is listed in critical condition.

#This latest homicide takes the country’s murder count to 98 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

Murder #97 as of 8/22/2015

Murder count stands at #97 as of Saturday August 22 2015,

A WELL-known Freeport man who was found shot dead on Saturday night at an apartment complex near the Xanadu Beach is believed to be Lester Adderley Jr.

#The shooting occurred at the Blue Marina Cove apartments around 10pm, when police received reports of gunshots being fired in the area.

#Inspector Terecita Pinder, of Grand Bahama Police, said officers went to Sunken Treasure Drive, where they discovered the lifeless body of a man in the parking lot of an apartment complex with gunshot wounds to the body.

#Police have not released the victim’s identity and are investigating the incident, which is the island’s tenth homicide for 2015 and the 97th in the country this year, according to The Tribune’s records.

#Adderley Jr, had been the owner of the former Mega Hits. He was one of several people questioned in connection with the death of Freeport businessman Constantino “Konkey” Vardoulis, 34, who was shot outside his Bahama Reef Boulevard residence several years ago.

Murder count #96

Murder stands at #96 when a mother and daughter was charge with a the murder of a missing man in Freeport.

A MOTHER and daughter were arraigned in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of Keith “Fat Head” Russell. Emajane Fitzgerald, 34, and her mother Claudette Smith, 55, of No 142 Limewood Lane, Freeport were escorted under heavy police guard around 10am to the courthouse to face the charges.

#A small crowd gathered at the Garnet Levarity Justice Centre to get a glimpse of the pair. Both women were shackled and handcuffed but smiled as they were led to the courthouse.

#Fitzgerald appeared to have sustained some injury and had a number of stitches to her forehead.

#A large number of officers – some armed with high-powered firearms – were positioned around the building.

#As they were being led into the court, an angry relative of Russell shouted: “Where is his body?”

#Russell, a resident of Coral Reef Estates Subdivision, has been missing since early last week prompting his family to file a missing person’s report with police.

#Fitzgerald and Smith appeared before Magistrate Debbye Ferguson in Court One. It is alleged that between August 9 and 10, Fitzgerald and Smith being concerned together, and with others unnamed and unknown, conspired to kill Russell.

#It is also alleged that on the same date that both accused, being concerned together and with others unnamed and unknown, by means of unlawful harm intentionally caused Russell’s death.

#Magistrate Ferguson asked the accused pair if they understood the charges and they both replied: “Yes ma’am.”

#Kwasi Thompson represented the mother and daughter, who were not required to enter a plea to the charges.

#A preliminary inquiry will be held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence against them for them to stand trial in the Supreme Court.

#Police Prosecutor Superintendent Wendell Clarke noted that the matter falls under Part Four of the Bail Act, and the court does not have discretion to grant bail to the accused.

#Magistrate Ferguson remanded the pair to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and adjourned the matter to December 7 for a preliminary inquiry.

#Mr Thompson informed the court that he would be applying to the Supreme Court for bail.

#Additionally, bench warrants had been issued for Fitzgerald in reference to a number of traffic matters dating back to 2006.

#Those matters were also dealt with in the hot, packed courtroom.

#Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to five of six charges, including driving a vehicle without a license disk attached in October 2006; driving with dark tinted windows in September 2008; driving without due care and attention and driving without valid driver’s license in October 2010; driving without due care and attention in January 2011 – all totalling some $830 in fines.

#Fitzgerald pleaded not guilty to failing to produce a driver’s license in 48 hours to the police in reference to the traffic matter in October 2010. The matter was adjourned to December 7.

#

Magistrate Ferguson ordered that Fitzgerald pay $830 in full. Mr Thompson said that his client is in custody, but Magistrate Ferguson said she would give Fitzgerald’s relatives until 2pm on Friday, August 21, to pay the fines. Failure to pay the fines would result in a sentence of three consecutive months on each of the five guilty counts. 

Murder count #95 as of 15/08/15

Murder counts stands at #95 as of Saturday August 15 2015

A MOTHER of one was beaten to death outside her home on Saturday prompting police to launch an intensive investigation into the case.

#Authorities have not released her identity, however The Tribune understands she is Rose Lourdes Anglade, 36, and was employed at a local fast food chain.

#Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean said police were unsure of the motive or whether this was a domestic violence case, adding that the matter has been classified as a homicide.

#The death has taken the country’s murder count to 95 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

#Police said on Saturday, shortly after 1am, the victim had just pulled up to her home located at Cowpen and Golden Isles Roads when the incident happened.

#According to police reports, a man approached Anglade, striking her about her body several times with a blunt object. She died of her injuries at the scene, police said.

#Police are investigating reports that one of the victim’s relatives warned her shortly before her death not to come home because they had noticed something suspicious – several rocks were placed in her driveway.

#A woman who identified herself as a close friend of Anglade yesterday said she was a fun loving person who cared deeply for her four-year-old daughter.

#She said relatives were left baffled by the way the victim was killed. Yesterday police said they did not have anyone in custody for this homicide.

#The mother was one of four people who were killed last week.

#The fatal attack came after 23-year-old Arlington Butler Jr, who was on bail and also being electronically monitored, was murdered early Thursday morning.

#He was shot multiple times by two men while standing under a tree on Burial Ground Corner shortly before 8am.

#His death, at the time, was the third murder in four days.

Murder count #94

Murder count stands at #94 as of Wednesday August 12th 2015,

A 23-year-old man on bail and being electronically monitored was shot multiple times and killed early yesterday morning, feet away from his McCullough Corner home.

#His death was the third murder in four days and the country’s 94th homicide for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

#This time last year, the country’s murder count stood at 76. Factoring in yesterday’s killing, homicides have increased about 24 per cent this year, compared to this same time in 2014.

#Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Paul Rolle said police are “concerned about the rise in homicides” but insisted, “Nassau is safe.”

#He appealed to members of the public to “utilise the police force instead of taking matters in their own hands.”

#Chief Supt Rolle said the latest murder victim was standing under a tree on Burial Ground Corner when he was approached by two men shortly before 8am.

#“Police received reports that gunshots were being discharged. When officers arrived, they met a young male suffering from multiple gunshots to the body,” Chief Supt Rolle said.

#“According to preliminary information, the victim was standing here in the yard, under a tree next to a white truck, when two unknown persons approached him. One of the men produced a handgun and discharged several shots in the victim’s direction. The victim ran west from this location towards his residence and collapsed in the yard.

#“The assailants then continued running west on Burial Ground Corner near East Street. We are appealing to those who may have seen something to come forward immediately, we believe he knew his attackers.”

#Police have not officially identified the victim, but The Tribune understands he is Arlington Butler Jr. He was on bail for armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition possession at the time of his death.

#Butler’s father, Arlington “Links” Butler Sr, 44, and brother, Kently Milford, 24, were murdered in two separate incidents last year.

#Butler Sr was shot and killed on December 29, 2014 – he was also on bail at the time of his death for drug possession and firearm offences.

#According to reports, Butler Sr was sitting on a bench in front of his Spence Street home when he was shot multiple times. Police said he ran to a neighbour’s house seeking help and was taken to hospital, but died a short time later.

#Milford was killed on May 27, 2014 almost two weeks after he was acquitted of murder.

#Police said Milford was sitting under a tree playing dominoes with three other men when two other men appeared from the northern side of the street.

#One of the men, who was armed with a handgun, approached the victim and began discharging shots in his direction.

#Milford got up and tried to run, but collapsed a short distance away.