Moore’s family awaiting the truth - Wife of late deputy commissioner of corrections says he is gone on to glory

Seemingly sceptical about the information being relayed about how her husband met his demise, Sandra-Dean Moore, the widow of Reverend Orville Moore, said her family is waiting on the authorities to "tell us the truth" about how he died.

Moore, late deputy commissioner of corrections, was reported missing on Monday. The police said he was last seen leaving his relatives' home off Molynes Road in St Andrew.

Three days later, on Thursday, his body was discovered in Spur Tree, Manchester, about 100 kilometres away. The correctional services said his body was found beside the wreckage of his motor vehicle and it appears there was an accident.

"As a family, we are thankful for your support and we are also awaiting the authorities to tell us the truth. As soon as we hear the truth, you will know the truth," said Moore as she worshipped with congregants of the Santa Cruz Holiness Christian Church in St Elizabeth.

The Reverend Moore served as the church's host pastor until the time of his death.

"Brethren and friends, Pastor Moore is gone on to glory, and so we are going to continue to worship the Lord, continue to praise the Lord, and draw closer to God because it is not only what he [Moore] would want us to do, but it is what we are supposed to do," Moore said, in a show of emotional strength.

"Man was made to worship, and to worship God, so we continue to glorify Him. We will lay our pastor, our friend, our father, our confidante to rest, knowing that God used him, and used him mightily to impact lives -- both right here in Santa Cruz and the wider world -- and we continue to give God thanks for allowing us to have this man of God with us for the time that he was here," she added.

But despite the loss of their shepherd, the church members were not dissuaded from singing lively songs such as I Will Praise the Lord, You Are My King, and What a Mighty God We Serve, while also giving emotional testimonials of the man who they described as a father figure and role model.

Joshua Moore, one of the late preacher's children, voiced fondness for his father in a brief tribute while also giving thanks for the outreach efforts to his family by the members.

"My father was an amazing man and I am still trying to cope with this situation as I still cannot believe that he is not here right now. It does not seem real," Joshua said.

Another son, Matthew Moore, urged the congregation to put on cheerful faces as that was what his father would have wanted.

"Pastor would have left a legacy behind him, and he would have left a mark with us, the righteous name of Jesus Christ. Do not be sad, do not cry forever, as I am sure pastor would want to see you smile," said Matthew.