The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

POLICE say they are following significant leads in the country's latest murders, however no one has been taken into custody.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson said while they have a few suspects, there is not yet sufficient evidence to make any arrests.

"We are following significant leads in the weekend murders.

"In respect to the guy who was shot off East Street as well as the man that was stabbed on Eneas Street, we believe we will bring those matters to a close shortly.

"We know who we are looking for and we know what we are doing, we are just compiling evidence at this point.

"We are more than confident that we will be able to bring these matters to a close shortly," he said.

Plillario Simmons, 26, was shot and killed around 3am on Saturday while walking through Meadow Lane off East Street.

He died of his injuries around 10am.

Simmons was on bail for stealing and receiving and was also wearing an electronic monitoring device.

Police have not yet identified the weekend's second murder victim but The Tribune understands he is 31-year-old Jeremiah Williams.

Williams, along with three other men, were stabbed multiple times in the Independence Shopping Centre around 6am on Saturday.

He died of his injuries in hospital. One man is still listed in critical condition, another has been treated and discharged.

ACP Ferguson said the recent murders are not just "random people" killing each other, but cases of young men not knowing how to resolve conflict.

He said it does not matter if a culprit is a career criminal or a first time offender - the police work hard to solve all murders, especially those involving firearms.

ACP Ferguson said police are still unsure of the circumstances surrounding the death of a Haitian man who was found floating in a pond around 7.20am Saturday.

The victim, who sources say is Maxonie Linus, was discovered in a blood stained white and red shirt and blue underwear, face down in the pond behind the National Insurance Building on Baillou Hill Road.

A pair of blue jeans and black sneakers were also found in the bushes close to his body.

Police sources say Linus, who is believed to be in his mid-20s, was discovered with multiple head and hand injuries.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The murder count now stands at 57 for the year.