MOUNT CAREY, St James – Members of the Baptist church in this small community were yesterday in mourning over the untimely death of their organist and music teacher Delroy Reid.

Delroy Reid, 49, also known as “Manny”, was stabbed to death Tuesday night during a dispute with his cousin-in-law over a wallet.

The alleged attacker, said to be about 24 years-old, has been detained by the police. His name was not released.

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), the police’s information arm, reported that at about 8:30 pm Tuesday, the dispute between Reid and his cousin-in-law escalated into a fight, during which a knife was used to pronounced dead.

Maxine Gardener, Reid’s neighbour, said she was watching television when she heard a loud banging on the back door. She subsequently discovered Reid sitting on the back door steps of her house bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds over his body.

Meanwhile, the church organist’s wife, Donna Reid and her 13 year-old daughter were traumatised when they arrived home and found their husband and father lying on the step of their neighbour.

“After we came home after nine he was lying on a step next door. I can’t even explain how I feel; it is rough but I am holding on to Jesus,” the traumatised woman told the Observer.

She said that the last time she spoke to her husband was after he left a meeting at the St Johns Methodist Church in Montego Bay and was heading to the Anchovy Methodist Church where he attended choir practice.

Mrs Reid said the man in police custody for her husband’s death is from St Elizabeth and was visiting the family.

Yesterday, Rev George Simpson, pastor at the Mount Carey Baptist Church, fought hard to come to grips with the loss of his devout member.

“This is one of the hardest of deaths that I have to cope with since my 36 years in ministry. He served other churches, schools and the police as music director. Delroy is the friend of everybody and enemy of none,” Rev Simpson said.

“Last Sunday all the St James Baptist churches met at our annual meeting in Mount Carey and Delroy was the emcee for the afternoon programme and he was in his element,” Rev Simpson recounted.