Rasbert Turner, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Spanish Town:

The quiet community of Time and Patience in St. Catherine has been plunged into sadness following the murder of two community members, including a senior citizen.

Reports are that about 2:30 on Saturday morning, Howard Noble, 40-year-old taxi operator, was at home with family members, along Pondside Lane, when he was awakened by extreme heat. He opened his door, after realising the house was on fire, went outside and was shot in the head and chest by his attackers.

They then entered the three-bedroom house, where senior citizen Henry McDonald was overheard crying and begging for his life. Explosions were heard and his charred remains later found. His body was removed by the Spanish Town Funeral Home.

Several persons expressed sadness at the killing of the men.

"I don't know what these men could have done why they would want to kill them like this," remarked a bystander.

The situation could have been worse if three other occupants of the house had not hid under a bed inside the house.

Lucky escape

"I was inside when mi hear 'bow! bow!' and mi hear Mr. McDonald a beg them no shoot him; mi den go under the bed and mi auntie tell mi fe open the back door and a soh mi run out of the house," related someone who seemed visibly shaken by the incident.

According to Inspector Norman McDonald of the Linstead Police Station, the police have yet to establish a motive for the murder of the two men. He pointed out, however, that Noble's car was burnt some time ago in Linstead.

The police said that the house was firebombed, and three Molotov cocktails were found on the ground. Residents said that the fire department responded promptly; however they could only do cooling-down operations.