Dalton Laing, Gleaner Writer

SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland:

A blood-thirsty mob, angered by the killing of a 78-year-old woman in Bethel Town, Westmoreland, on Sunday, dished out vigilante justice to the murder suspect, beating him to death.

Reports are that pensioner and returned resident, Icilda Ramsay Allen, had made plans to assist a neighbour in combing another woman's hair on Sunday.

Suspicious

When she did not show up, the neighbour became suspicious and went to check on her.

It was then that the neighbour found the lifeless body of Allen covered under a blanket on her bed with her underwear stuffed in her mouth.

The Bethel Town police were alerted and during a search of the house, a black hat identified to be that of Bethel Town labourer Errol Brooks, 32, was discovered.

While the lawmen were conducting preliminary investi-gations, they saw Brooks coming out of bushes near the house.

Cornered

The police tried to apprehend him, but Brooks, who worked on a construction site a short distance away, escaped.

A short while later he was cornered by citizens, who beat him to death.

Further investigations resulted in the police finding a suitcase bearing a tag with Allen's name and several items of clothing and jewellery inside the house in which Brooks worked as a watchman.

No motive has been established for Allen's murder.