Trelawny police pursuing prime suspect in church murder

Investigators are pursuing a prime suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of 51 year old Andrea Lowe-Garwood at the Agape Christian Fellowship Church in Falmouth, Trelawny on Sunday.

 

Two other persons remain in custody.

 

The police believe Mrs. Lowe-Garwood was the victim of a contract killing linked to a domestic dispute.

 

Head of Area One Police Headquarters, Assistant Commissioner Clifford Chambers told Radio Jamaica News allegations surrounding the death of her husband in a traffic crash last year and a gang have also opened up additional investigations.

 

According to reports to the police, Mrs. Lowe-Garwood was praying at the church at about 10:30 am when a man seated behind her pulled a gun and shot her.

 

 Mrs. Lowe-Garwood was shot several times at close range.

 

 The shooter escaped in a car.

 

 The getaway vehicle was rented.

The Parliamentary Opposition says the attack shows the "sense of impunity" which criminals operate.

 

"[They] obviously feel they can operate freely and that the likelihood of them being caught and punished is low. It's one incident in a sort of two-week crime wave that, you know, rather than focus on one incident, I feel there's a feeling of insecurity in the country right now," Spokesman on National Security Peter Bunting said.

Mr. Bunting has expressed disappointment at the Prime Minister's silence on the upsurge in crime over the past two weeks.

 

"The Prime Minister campaigned and came to office on a promise to fix crime. In fact, I remember him being very critical in parliament when I made a presentation as then minister saying that it was a whole of society approach.  He rubbished that and said it is the responsibility of government...So we must hold him accountable for promises," Mr. Bunting said.