Police identify Chapleton murder victims, Rushane Barnett named as person of interest

They have been identified as Kemisha Wright, 34-year-old woman of Cocoa Piece, Clarendon, and her four children: Kimana Smith (15 years old girl); Shemari Smith (10 years old girl); Kafana Smith (5 years old girl) and little Kishaun Henry, a baby boy only 23 months old. 

In a statement released to the Jamaican press, Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang said the “Government of Jamaica strongly condemns the gruesome and unwarranted attack of a 34 years old woman and her four children,” calling the crime “an act of savagery and brutality of unequal proportions”.

“These were young promising children with their entire lives ahead of them. Ms. Wright was a hardworking and honest young woman who was making a life for herself and her children. This barbarity is deplorable. It reflects the epidemic of interpersonal violence that permeates sections of our society.  Such utter evil and horror reinforces the need for us to continue to pursue a holistic approach to this disease of inter-personal violence in our society,” stated Dr Chang, who also deputy prime minister.

Chang who is acting as the head of the government in the absence of Prime Minister Andrew Holness who is overseas on official duty, expressed condolence to the family.

“I wish to express my personal condolences to Ms. Wright’s family. The police are continuing their investigations and we expect a breakthrough in the case in short order.  In the meantime, state agencies including CPFSA, have been deployed to provide support. We urge anyone with information to come forward and assist in the investigation.”

Meantime, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson has named a person of interest in the Clarendon murder incident. He is Rushane Barnett otherwise called, “Jet”, 23, of Wilson’s Run in Trelawny or Papine in St. Andrew. He also frequents Coco Piece Chapleton, Clarendon.

Commissioner Anderson said Barnett “is a cousin of the deceased” mother and has appealed to the public for help to find him.

Later in Parliament, Dr Chang updated the nation on the matter stating the investigation has so far led detectives to believe that the barbaric slaughtering of the five stemmed from a “domestic dispute”.

He did not go into further details as the investigation is still at an early stage.

Gender Minister Olivia Grange also issued a statement condemning the brutal slaying of the family, in which she demanded that “we must have justice”.

Said Grange: “This incident, so vile, is against everything that we stand for in Jamaica.

“I went into the community and met members of the family, on behalf of the Member of Parliament, Minister Robert Nesta Morgan, who is on official duty overseas.

“We commit to provide the necessary support to the family from across the Government; and I ask that we keep them in our thoughts and prayers at this time.

“We cannot allow this to be just another incident over which we express outrage and then move on.  We must have justice.  That’s the only way we can move on.”

And adding its voice to the cacophony of condemnation the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) urged the security forces to bring about justice in a swift and decisive manner.

Excerpts from the NPTAJ’s statement said: “This most disheartening news has given us pause, yet again, to reflect on what is happening with our nation. Children are the future of our nation; we must protect them at any cost.

“The NPTAJ strongly condemns all acts of violence and expresses its solidarity with the relatives of the victims. The protection of our citizens is important to the NPTAJ, and we are here to provide support to the families.

“In the wake of this massacre in Clarendon the NPTAJ is cognizant of the need to do even more across the length and breadth of Jamaica to engage parents and their families.”