Disabled businessman murdered

The business community in Negril, Westmoreland, is now in mourning, following the murder of disabled 45-year-old businessman, Steve ‘Cheeta’ Thelwell, and the shooting and wounding of another man outside Thelwell apartment along Norman Manley Boulevard on Wednesday.

When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the community, scores of concerned residents and business operators were gathered outside Happy World Bike/Car Rental Limited, which is owned and operated by the deceased businessman.

“Cheeta a good man, a nuff young youth bout the place him help, and mek the whole a dem own bike,” one man who gave his name as Mikey told THE WEEKEND STAR. “A pure foolishness dem gunman yah a gwan wid. Imagine party a gwaan pon the strip and the man dem come kill a good man like a this, right inna the heart a the party.”

Margaret Blair, Thelwell’s sister, said her brother never deserved to die in that manner.

“Steve is a good man, who is loved by everyone especially the adults them in his community, “Blair said. “Him have four children, and him love all a dem. Nobody don’t love children like a Steve, especially girl children; dem get weh wid everything wen it comes to him. “

Breadwinner

Blair said that Thelwell had a project in which he would give cash and other items to elderly people every holiday.

“Him even have kids’ treat every Christmas and holiday time,” she said.

Blair said her brother had been using a wheelchair for more than 14 years, after he was shot by gunmen at a section of the community known as Springfield.

Despite not being able to walk, he remained the breadwinner for his family through his popular car and bike rental business.

The Negril police reported that shortly after 7 p.m., Thelwell and a friend who assists him with his wheelchair, drove to his home at the Seascape Apartments along Beach Road, off Norman Manley Boulevard.

His assistant alighted from the car and removed the wheelchair from the rear of the vehicle. As Thelwell was being placed in the wheelchair, they were ambushed by two armed men lurking at the entrance to the apartment.

The gunmen shot the wheelchair attendant once and he managed to run from the scene; they turned their weapons on Thelwell, shooting him multiple times.

In the middle of the commotion, which sent persons running, the men then escaped on a motorcycle.

The police were summoned and upon their arrival, Thelwell and the other man were rushed to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital, where he was pronounced dead and the other man treated and admitted.