Fear grips community after woman’s murder

Residents of the usually quiet community of Content, St Catherine, are concerned after a neighbour was shot and burnt to death on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as Lorraine Foster, 53. According to a report from the Spanish Town police, Foster was at home with her children when gunmen invaded the premises. The children were tied up and taken from the house while Foster was shot and the house set ablaze. No motive has yet been established for the killing.

There was hardly anyone on the streets when THE WEEKEND STAR visited the community. Doors and windows were shut tight and the area was eerily quiet. One elderly woman said she is praying that the violence would end.

MI TREMBLE LIKE LEAF

“The night when it happen mi tremble like leaf. All yesterday (Wednesday) mi nuh come out a mi house because mi fraid bad. Is today mi feel a little better and mi still afraid because we just nuh use to things like this around this side. I am hoping the police will maintain their presence here because when mi say mi fraid, mi fraid,” she said.

The woman described Foster as a hard-working individual who regularly attended church. “She sell ackee for a living and when that was out of season, she would even do construction work,” she said. The woman said that on Tuesday, one of her grandchildren told her that he had heard explosions that sounded like gunshots but did not pay him any mind.

“There is just no form of violence around these sides. Afterwards somebody come and say the lady house on fire and is so mi come out,” she said. “I really don’t know what could have caused what happened. All I want is peace.”