Teen’s killer gets life sentence

Though it will not bring her back to life, relatives of slain teen Denise Hume are taking solace in the heavy sentence handed down to her killer, nearly five years after his gruesome act.

"At least wi can have a likkle peace a mind inna di Christmas yah," said Suzan, Denise's aunt. On Tuesday, Amar Fairweather was sentenced to life in prison inside the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston. Denise, who was 15 when she was killed, was gunned down in 2017, four days before Christmas, after she sent Fairweather a text message reportedly ending their relationship. The reports are that Hume was at her home with her family preparing for Christmas when Fairweather entered their home and shot her. Fairweather, 31, will serve 23 years before he is eligible for parole. He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegal possession of firearm and seven years for illegal possession of ammunition by Justice Vinette Graham Allen.

Suzan told THE STAR that the past five years have been difficult for the family as the promising teen, who attended the Jose Marti Technical High School, was loved by everyone.

"We are just thanking God because it's God and time yuh nuh. Him tek har from we five years ago inna di Christmas and see it deh, him get sentence 2022 inna di same Christmas. Him do the crime man, so him affi do the time. Mi feel real bad because every day mi affi put har up. It's just the other day mi put har up on mi WhatsApp status and a say 'Bwoy, mi niece yuh can rest well now because God answer wi prayer'. A God answer wi," Suzan reiterated.

When our news team visited the family's home in Seaview Gardens, St Andrew, on Wednesday, Hume's mother and sister, were too distraught to comment. But neighbours voiced their displeasure over the length of the sentence.

"A shoulda life without parole him get because is an innocent life him tek weh just so," said one neighbour.

"Out of all har pickney (Hume's mother), a Denise was the most promising one. If har mother a go road she no affi lock har shop because Denise will see it to that things run smoothly. She was the future star in that family. So that is why it hurt so much a wi here fi weh him do to har," the neighbour continued.

Fairweather pleaded guilty to the charges in October after he was arrested in Clarendon on June 15, 2020.