A man believed to be of unsound mind was mobbed and killed by residents of Quickstep in St Elizabeth on Monday after he was accused of setting fire to a house in the community.

Police reports are that shortly after 5 a.m. on Monday, a unit from the Santa Cruz fire station was alerted by residents who reported seeing flames coming from a two-bedroom house.

The building and all its contents were destroyed.

Further reports are that 27-year-old Richard Robertson was later apprehended, beaten and chopped to death as he was suspected to have set fire to the house.

The Black River police are investigating.