Cops believe quintuple murder suspect acted alone

Deputy Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey yesterday said that the police have all but completed their investigation into the quintuple murder in Cocoa Piece, Clarendon, on June 21.

“To my best knowledge the matter is almost at the point of closure in terms of investigative enquiries. I am not aware of any additional leads that are being pursued. I think we have identified who the perpetrator is, he has been charged and the matter is before the courts. I am not aware of any other lines of enquiries,” said Bailey, who is in charge of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s crime and security portfolio.

He was speaking at the police’s monthly press conference at the commissioner’s office in St Andrew. Barnett’s trial hearing is set for July 22.

Barnett, 23, will be tried for the murder of Kemesha Wright, 31, and her four children: Kimanda Smith 15; Sharalee Smith 12; Rafaella Smith, five; and Kishawn Henry Jr, who was 23 months old. All the victims’ throats were slashed. The killings have sparked public outcry for the death penalty to be imposed.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) signalled that it would be seeking the death penalty for Barnett when he appeared before the Supreme Court last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson was coy in his response to the media in relation to the DPP’s notice.

“One of the things that drives down violent crime is that the people who perpetrate it are not able to continue to perpetrate it. Long sentences work as well, there are debates around the death penalty as to whether it is deterrent or not. It is not a debate that I want to particularly join. I don’t want that to become a central issue. The central issue, whether it is death penalty, and perhaps there are some people that are very deserving of it, or it is long sentences, both of those protect the society from the people who wish to do harm to people and have demonstrated by their actions that they are willing to do harm,” he said.