Glenroy Sinclair, Senior Crime Reporter

Scene of crime detectives and other police personnel examine a murder scene at 9 Roberts Avenue, in Vineyard Town, east Kingston, where two men were killed Wednesday night. Their bodies were recovered yesterday morning at the partially occupied premises. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Despite a decline in all major crimes, the country was yesterday rocked by another double murder, the 52nd such incident since the start of the year. Up to yesterday, police statistics revealed that at least 1,143 persons have been murdered since January.

Three days ago, the Salt Spring community in St. James was hit by a brutal triple murder.

The violence and multiple killings continued Thursday in the Roberts Avenue area of Vineyard Town, in east Kingston, where the bullet-riddled bodies of Audley Riley, who was a licensed firearm-holder and Alimi Clarke were found at the rear of a premises.

Documents found on their person indicate that they were from a Portmore address in St. Catherine. The police said Riley's licensed firearm was taken by his killers. A sport utility vehicle (SUV) that was being driven by one of the men went missing but was later recovered by the lawmen in the nearby Bercumbe Avenue area.

"This double murder is not linked to the gang feud (in east Kingston); investigators are working very hard to get to the bottom of it," said Deputy Superintendent Noel Christie, who is second in command of the East Kingston Police Division.

Reports reaching The Gleaner are that the men had gone to the area to visit a relative on Wednesday night. They attempted to remove debris used to block one of the roads in the area, but were prevented by a group of gunmen who held them up.

Residents who heard the men begging for their lives said the killers ignored their pleas and killed them execution style.

"Based on what we saw, it appears as if one of the men was put to lie on the ground, before he was shot. A part from the pool of blood, you could see the impact of the bullet on the concrete," said a senior investigator who is also probing the double murder.

Multiple killings since January

Double murders	- 52
Triple murders	- 6
Group killings (more three persons)	- 2