News

Who took slain activist's safe?

THE POLICE BELIEVE that a missing safe can provide them with clues to the identity of the person or persons who murdered renowned gay rights activist, Brian Williamson.

Williamson, 59, a member and spokesperson for JFlag (Jamaica Forum For Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays), was killed on his property, The Haughton Business Centre, located at 3a Haughton Avenue in New Kingston yesterday.

The police do not think his sexual orientation had anything to do with his death and are looking at robbery as the motive.

Williamson was found lying face down in a pool of blood in a bedroom of the flat in which he lived, located to the rear of the property. There were several chop and stab wounds to the face and neck area, and a machete believed to be the murder weapon lay close by. There were signs that a struggle occurred. A safe containing money was missing.

Desmond Chambers, a neighbour and friend of Williamson, said he made the gruesome discovery after 10:00 a.m. Chambers, who also served as the maintenance man for the property, told THE STAR that he was asked by another tenant to get a set of keys from Williamson. He was in the process of doing so when he stumbled onto the body.

Visited

Chambers said that he last saw Williamson alive earlier that morning when he was visited by two young men. "One of the guys, I know him, because I have seen him here about six times before. He always come here to Brian asking him for things, and he (Brian) would give him," he said. According to Chambers it was Williamson who set up the young man in business.

Williamson's kind nature was also spoken of by Christopher Harris, another tenant. "That man treated me like a son. I cannot believe this," he said.

Meanwhile, Chambers, will forever be haunted by yesterday's events. "I sensed that something was not right. While I was getting ready for work, I heard the guy asking him 'if anybody else lived there and where they lived'. But I just left," he said.

And as if regretting that decision, Chambers has promised to bring Williamson's killers to justice. "I am not afraid. That was a good man that you killed. He was always willing to help anybody who needed it," he said.