Noel Thompson, STAR Writer
WESTERN BUREAU

Two men were brutally murdered in western Jamaica over the Christmas holidays, leaving relatives mourning their untimely deaths.

In one incident, a man has turned himself in to the West-moreland Police, reportedly confessing to the crime. In the other incident, however, investigators in St Elizabeth, are still trying to identify the killer.

Dead are Michael Campbell, a 38-year-old labourer of Silent Lane, Beaston Spring, Westmoreland and Dave Brown, 39, butcher of Corner Bush, Southfield, St Elizabeth.

Reports from the Westmore-land police are that at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Campbell was walking along the road, heading towards his house, when a man attacked him from behind and chopped him in the head.

sought refuge

Campbell ran into a nearby yard seeking refuge, but his attacker chased him and inflicted several more chop wounds all over his body. Campbell fell to the ground and his attacker used a piece of board to beat him in the head.

Later that same day, Castell Quest, 27, labourer, also of Beaston Spring, turned himself in at the Bluefields Police Station. He was charged with murder yesterday.

Police say Campbell had brought a case of unlawful wounding against Quest. They were scheduled to return to court on March 9.

Up to press time yesterday, police in St Elizabeth said they had little information on the murder of Dave Brown.

Brown was at home watching television in his bedroom when his door was kicked in. His attacker(s) used a piece of wood to severely beat him all over his body. He also appeared to have been shot.

The incident occurred between 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 2:30 on Christmas morning. Police said they have not yet identified any motive for the killing. Investigations have also revealed that another man, said to be of unsound mind was at home with Mr Brown when he was being murdered, but he ran from the house in fear of his life.