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UNSOLVED - More than 3000 crimes not cleared since 1999

MARVA BENNETT IS an angry woman. Her boyfriend Richard Grant was murdered on December 13, 2004 but his death remains as one of the more than 3,000 unsolved cases that the police have failed to close in the last six years.

"After I went to the station and gave my report, I didn't hear from them again. I feel really bad, because they need to put out more effort in what they are doing," she told THE STAR.

Grant was shot and killed along Waterloo Road. He frequented the area because he worked there cleaning the car windshields.

Based on statistics released by the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN), 3158 murder cases committed between 1999 and 2004 have remained unsolved. A total of 6,366 murders were committed during that period. Murders are listed as unsolved based on how fast the police receives evidence for the particular case.

Of the total figure of unsolved murders, 2004 had the highest number of cases with 812 of the 1471 incidents still wide open.

And, Grant's death is just one of them. Among the murders that have remained open on the police books for last year is that of Anthony 'Chuncie' Folkes who was killed in South St. Andrew area. His murder sparked a gang feud in the area.

Cop's murder on list

For 2003, the police report that 411 of 975 murders were still open. For that year, the murder of Constable Dexter Wright who was killed while transacting business in Sydenham, St. Catherine, are among those listed as unsolved. The 411 are fewer than the 550 murders that were left open in 2002 when 1045 murders were committed.

In 2001, the police were unable to close 661 of 1139 murders. For that year, Willie Haggart's murder was listed as open.

For 2000, 410 of 887 murders were unsolved. In 1999, 314 of 849 murders were listed as unsolved.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Oswald Ayres, who is in charge of operations at St. Andrew South one of the divisions with a low clear up rate, said several factors were affecting the police in solving murders.

"The communities aren't co-operating enough. People complain about the justice system and the length of time that the justice system takes as well as the witness protection programme," he said.

He added that the current ballistic testing system being used by the police was hampering the process as well but said steps were being taken to solve the problem.

"I know for us in this division sometimes we seize a gun and it takes a while for us to get the ballistics. But, they have got a new machine so that will soon change," he said.

Roberta Christie's brother Rolando Christie was gunned down along Collie Smith Drive while going to school in July 2001. She said this is another of the cases that remains open.

"From the day it was committed we haven't heard much. I don't know what to say but I don't think they have done enough," she said.

In Bennett's case, she said a man was held in connection with Grant's death, but he was later released because there was insufficient evidence.

"Even when they hold the man, I did not know, or when they released him,"she said.

Of the 19 police divisions, St. Andrew Central, St. Andrew South, Kingston Western, Kingston Eastern St. Catherine North and St. James were the divisions with the lowest clear up rates for the period 2001 to 2004.

St. Andrew Central were unable to clear up 282 of 389 cases, St. Andrew South listed 431 deaths of 732 as being unsolved while Kingston Western had 292 of 368 .

Kingston Eastern were unable to solve 206 of 269 killings. St. Catherine North had 385 deaths of 555 wide open while St. James were yet to close 246 of their 396 deaths.

DSP Ayres said that another reason some murders have remained open was reprisal killings. For the period of 2001-2004 reprisal killings accounted for 952 of the unsolved murders.

"People want swift justice and that's why they commit reprisal killings. Although we try to tell them that it creates a vicious cycle the communities sometimes want justice for themselves," he said.

Reprisals though, were not the only reason for murders. Gang related violence accounted for 490 of the murders while domestic violence accounted for 481. Robberies also had many unsolved murders 383. Drug related killings had 102 unsolved cases. Mob violence, political activities, rapes and other activities had a total of 99 unsolved murders.