Rocky relationship led to murder suicide ... residents claim

Rocky relationship led to murder suicide, residents claim

A rocky relationship is believed to have led to the brazen murder-suicide at a government office in downtown, Kingston yesterday.

Collette Hibbert, 44, who was a security guard at Guardsman security company, was gunned down at the TRN office in downtown, Kingston, where she was stationed.

The trigger man was her common-law husband, 50-year-old Paul Martin.

He was a security guard of KingAlarm security company.

Reports from the police's Corporate Communication Unit are that shortly after 8 a.m., Hibbert was standing at her work station at the TRN office, when Martin approached her. There was a brief conversation between the two, after which Martin pulled his firearm and shot Hilbert. He then shot himself.

Both died on the spot.

The couple resided together in Doncaster, east Kingston, with their teenaged daughter.

Residents, who knew the couple, told THE STAR that the relationship appeared to have been on the rocks for some time.

well-mannered man

One resident said she was shocked to hear that Martin committed the act because he was always a quiet, and well-mannered man.

"When me hear say him kill her mi say Jeezas peace, a wha she di fi drive him out fi do that! The man no talk. It's just from work to home. If him deh home, you will see him go to the betting shop. Nobody no have nothing bad fi say about the man," the resident said.

Unlike her common law husband, Hibbert was described as quarrelsome.

"From me know dem come live here, a so the relationship stay. One day mi hear him call her a mischief maker because she is always causing argument," the resident said.

"Mi hear say him couldn't take the relationship no more, so him was about to leave her. Fi about a week now me no see him at the house," the resident added.

Another Doncaster resident echoed similar sentiments about the couple.

"Mi can't believe! The last time me see her, she did a cuss about the boy them who did a pick mangoes inna her yard. The man was very quiet."