Police catch suspects for gang killing

West Bay’s Jordan Manderson and a companion were arrested yesterday in connection with the 13 September murder of Robert Bush, a crime that sparked a nine-day series of tit-for-tat 
gangland killings.

Thursday morning, police executed a 20th January warrant on Manderson, at his 27 Cinder Lane home in West Bay, suspected in the September killing as Bush, 28, sat in his car at the junction of Birch Tree Hill Road and Captains Joe and Osbert Road.
Police arrested Manderson, 18, along with a 17-year-old companion, on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and possession of an 
illegal firearm.

Police searched six homes during the operation, seizing ammunition and arresting a third man for threatening violence and a woman for possession of ganja.

The September killing was the first of five related gangland-style executions that saw the death of Andrew Baptist, Preston Rivers and Jason Christian during a nine-day period, until
 23 September.

Christian’s companion at the time of his 19 September death, Keith Montique, survived the 10-shot execution. Days later, East End’s Asher McGaw was also killed. While police have never affiliated the shooting to West Bay’s Birch Tree Hill-Logwoods Don war of attrition, McGaw’s death is thought to be linked to the attacks.

Addressing “Detective Sergeant Dave Morrison and other officers”, according to the warrant signed by Justice of the Peace Louis Ebanks, ”I am satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable suspicion of the commission of the offence, and it has been made to appear to me that the production of the following articles is/are essential to the enquiry into the said offence.”

The warrant seeks seizure of a firearm, clothing, electronic devices and “any other item associated with this offence” or “any document/device, vehicle owned, rented or leased and reduces [sic] into the control of Jordan Manderson.”

The warrant requires officers to “take possession of the said articles and produce the same forthwith before a court, returning this evidence with an endorsement certifying the manner of its execution.”

On 21 June last year, Manderson was acquitted in a judge-alone trial of the 11 March, 2010 shooting death of Marcos Duran in West Bay as part of an attempted robbery. While Manderson admitted to being at the scene, he was released for lack of evidence.

Manderson’s older brother, Justin, was acquitted on 19 January this year in another judge-alone trial, citing insufficient evidence, in the 24 June, 2010 attempted murder and wounding of West Bay’s Andy Barnes.

Meanwhile, police on Wednesday arrested a man in connection with two 3:00am shootings at Club 7 near the Grand Pavilion on West Bay Road.

A brief RCIPS report said two male victims had “received gunshot wounds in an incident “which occurred just after 3am“ at Club 7.

Both men, police said, “were transported to George Town Hospital”, where they remain “undergoing treatment for injuries”.

“Police can confirm that a firearm was recovered at the scene, and that one male person has been arrested,” the report said.

“Enquiries are ongoing and updates will be provided once more information is available.