SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – Gunmen disrupted the peace and quiet of the farming community of Tryall, adjacent to Ballards Valley in South East St Elizabeth late yesterday, leaving a woman dead and her husband hospitalised.

The dead woman has been identified by police as Hopie Powell, a 40 year-old farmer and vendor of Bromfield Town, Tryall, while her injured husband, Steve Powell, 45, also a farmer and vendor, is in hospital.

Police reports are that the two had returned home in their pick-up truck from the Claremont market in St Ann where they have been doing business for years, when they saw men in their yard.

Powell attempted to reverse from the yard but the gunmen opened fire hitting Mrs Powell in the abdomen and chest, while her husband was shot near the mouth.

Police say an undisclosed sum of money was taken from the couple.

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