Another most wanted killed in Westmoreland

DONOVAN ‘TIM’ Roach, who had been prominent on the Westmoreland police’s most wanted list for an extended period, has joined the growing list of topflight gangsters killed in the western parish in recent times.

The 28-year-old, who was originally from Prospect in Darliston, and who was wanted for several counts of murder, shootings, and rape, among other crimes, was shot dead in a gun battle with lawmen in Bethel Town on Wednesday. A 23-year-old woman, who was with him at the time of the incident, was taken into custody.

“This man has seriously tested the resolve of the police because he has been quite elusive,” a senior police officer told The Gleaner yesterday. “However, like those who have gone on before him, he found out too late that you can’t escape the long arm of the law.”

According to reports, at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a police team, acting on intelligence, went to a house in Hermitage, Bethel Town. On approaching the house, the policemen were greeted with gunfire. After initially retreating, the lawmen engaged the shooter in a gunfight.

“When the shooting ended, we found out that the shooter was the elusive Tim Roach, who was wanted for a number of recent murders in the Bethel Town and Darlistan police divisions,” the lawman said. “He was in the company of a 23-year-old female, who we have taken into custody.”

Roach reportedly died clutching a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, which was loaded with five 9mm bullets. Several spent shells and an empty magazine were reportedly recovered at the scene.

Roach is the second high-profile gangster to be killed in Westmoreland since the start of the year. On April 14, Ryan ‘Ratty’ Peterkin, who led the infamous Ratty Gang, which was responsible for numerous murders in Cambridge, St James, was killed in a fierce gun battle with a police-military patrol in Berkshire.

Last year July, 26-year-old Sadain ‘Saddam’ Mullings – who, in addition to being wanted for several murders, regularly engaged the police in shootouts, including an incident in St Ann in which he attacked a police patrol with a grenade – was killed in Whitehouse. A Uzi submachine gun and a Glock pistol were taken from him.

SHORN HECTOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Norval Mendez (left) is awarded a scholarship by the Portia Simpson Miller Foundation, presented by Chester Francis-Jackson. Looking on is Portia Simpson Miller. The Portia Simpson Miller Foundation held its annual bursary and scholarship award ceremony at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday as part of its education-assistance scheme. Some 45 recipients were awarded educational grants and scholarships to various tertiary institutions such as the Caribbean Maritime University, the University of the West Indies, the University of Technology, Northern Caribbean University, Moneague College, Church Teachers’ College, the Norman Manley Law School, and the Browns’ Town Community College.