By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterA TORSO, WHICH the police believe is that of their missing colleague, Detective Constable Devon Pearson, was discovered yesterday on the banks of the Rio Cobre near the Jam World Entertainment Centre in Portmore, St. Catherine.
Despite the numerous boat loads of police personnel and civilians who journeyed across the river to look at the swollen torso, nobody could positively identify the body part as that of Det. Constable Pearson, not even his sister Donna Pearson, who made the trip.
"Base on the intelligence that we have been getting, it could be him," Deputy Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas said yesterday.
The body part, which was nude, was discovered by fishermen Thursday morning. As the news spread, police personnel came out in droves and flooded the compound of Jam World, offering whatever assistance they could.
"If a really him, dem bwoy ya really wicked to him sah," said one of his colleagues.
Prior to the discovery of the torso, the police had been receiving information that Constable Pearson was chopped into pieces and dumped.
The Police Federation had on Wednesday offered $500,000 for information leading to the missing policeman.
DNA
A spokesperson at the CCN said that investigators are now awaiting the results of a DNA test to help them establish the identity of the body part.
The 31-year-old policeman has been missing since last week Wednesday. His black 1996 Bluebird motor car was found in the Caymanas Bay area of St. Catherine the following day, with the keys in the ignition. His 9-mm pistol and the sound system in the car were missing.
The police are following a number of leads, based on the intelligence they are receiving. There are allegations that Constable Pearson was last seen alive on the Mandela Highway, tussling with another man. At the time he was reportedly bleeding from the throat.
"We have been hearing all sort of stories," said a sub-officer at the Central Village Police Station.
On Wednesday police and civilians, equipped with machetes and shovels conducted an extensive search of the Big Lane area in Central Village. They came up empty handed.
