By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
THE nephew of a murdered man testified yesterday how he reported his uncle missing nearly a week after last seeing him alive.
Cat Island native Deangelo Moncur told prosecutor Kendra Kelly that his uncle, Fortis Moncur, with whom he lived, left home for work on the morning of October 6, 2012 with some clothing and appeared “regular”.
When he was unable to reach his uncle for two days, he came across his uncle’s van parked by the Spits Bay dock with the clothes he saw Moncur with a few days earlier.
Jason Glinton sat in the prisoner’s dock listening as the witness gave his evidence.
Glinton, of Devil’s Point, Cat Island, is on trial for the October 2012 murder of Moncur, who was the caretaker at Island Hopping resort where Glinton was employed at the time.
He is alleged to have committed the crime between October 5 and October 18 of that year. The deceased’s charred remains were discovered by police shortly before midnight on October 18 after officers were notified of a “strange odour” in the area of a track road in Devil’s Point.
Glinton, who is on bail, has denied the allegation and is defended by Murrio Ducille.
Ms Kelly and Linda Evans are prosecuting the case.
The victim’s nephew told Ms Kelly that after spotting the van at the dock, he reported his uncle missing to the police.
“When did you do this?” the prosecutor asked.
“Three to four days after seeing his van parked,” the witness said, who then confirmed that he had given a statement to the police on October 11.
“Are you familiar with Jason Glinton?” Ms Kelly asked the witness.
Mr Moncur said the two went “to school together.”
In cross-examination, Mr Ducille asked the witness if he and his uncle had ever had a dispute over money.
“You had a disagreement because he was unfair with paying you,” the lawyer suggested.
“Yea, I worked (with him), sometimes I didn’t get what I expected,” the witness answered.
“Do you know Ezra Russell?” the lawyer then asked. The witness said he did know the man and confirmed that his uncle and Russell had had a disagreement.
“At the point when he went missing, they weren’t good friends anymore,” the lawyer suggested.
“Not really,” the nephew replied.
“They had a disagreement over money,” Mr Ducille suggested. The witness replied that money was a part of it.
“Fortis had used heavy duty equipment of Ezra’s?” the lawyer asked.
The nephew said, “Yes, sir.”
“When you went to the van, you saw someone already there, didn’t you?” Mr Ducille asked.
The witness said he did and then answered that he did take the van.
“Cause he (Fortis) owed you money?” the lawyer suggested.
“He owed me, but I had to secure the van,” the witness replied.
The witness also denied being arrested as a suspect in his uncle’s murder.
The trial resumes today before Justice Carolita Bethell.
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