From Jamaica Observer

SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — A 25-year-old man is dead and a 22-year-old female student from the Cayman Islands is battling for life after yet another lovers’ quarrel turned violent in St Elizabeth.

Police have identified the dead man as 25-year-old Kevin Dennis of Negril, Westmoreland, who had a visiting relationship with the critically injured woman (name withheld) who lived at Luana, just outside Black River in south-west St Elizabeth.

Police say that about 9:30 pm Wednesday night, Dennis is alleged to have attacked the young woman with a knife inflicting wounds to her neck and abdomen. She escaped from the house and ran on to the road, screaming for help.

A passing motorist reported the matter to the police. Lawmen rushed to the scene and took the injured woman to hospital. Others reportedly approached the house and were allegedly approached by Dennis wielding two knives. The police fired shots, hitting him. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police reports say Dennis appeared to be bleeding heavily before he was shot. Subsequent examination showed a serious wound to the neck. Police are theorising that the neck wound was self-inflicted.

Police say the Caymanian student has been transferred to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay. She was reportedly in Jamaica attending a course at a HEART training institution.

The latest incident followed last week’s death of three people in two similar domestic incidents in St Elizabeth. First, 21-year-old Felicia Wynter of Culloden, Westmoreland, was murdered by a blow to the head, allegedly inflicted by her babyfather at Galleon Beach, west of Black River.

Less than 48 hours later, a retired police inspector, Ernest Douglas, formerly of the police protective services allegedly shot dead the mother of his children 41-year-old Tamara McIntosh, then killed himself with a shot to the head, at Short Hill, Pedro Plains, also in south- west St Elizabeth.

“Too much of this sort of thing happening here now,” said a depressed head of police operations in St Elizabeth, Deputy Superintendent Paul Bernard.

Bernard was particularly upset because in the latest incident in Luana, neighbours had been forewarned. Neighbours reportedly told the police yesterday that the young couple often quarrelled and appeared to have had an abusive relationship. Only two weeks ago the Caymanian student was reportedly punched in the face, allegedly by Dennis. She is said to have suffered a dislocated jaw.

Apparently she failed to report the incident to the police and neighbours turned a blind eye.

“Neighbours have to be more aware and call the police when they see such situations,” said Bernard. “You can’t just wait until something worse happens and then everybody sorry,” he said.

— Garfield Myers

For more on this story go to: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Another-deadly-lovers–quarrel-in-St-Elizabeth_64904