THE police were yesterday keeping a close watch on the troubled downtown Kingston community of Matthews Lane, following Tuesday’s murder of food vendor Alton Miller and rumours that there could be renewed infighting between divided factions in the area.

Miller, 47, was found lying with a bullet wound to his body after residents of the inner-city community alerted the police about explosions in the area about 10:30 Tuesday night.

“We are staying in keen touch with that particular area as our intelligence tells us that things can get ugly,” Inspector Clayton Ritchie of the Kingston West Police Division told the Observer yesterday.

The police reported that since former Matthews Lane strongman Donald ‘Zeeks’ Phipps was given a life sentence for double murder the area has been quiet, but recently there have been tensions, after some community members raised questions about evidence pertaining to oral sex in his murder trial.

Phipps had for years been regarded by the Matthews Lane community as their area leader, until his conviction.

In the meantime, the police said Phipps’ son, known only as ‘Zeekie’, has been forced to avoid the community. “Questions are being asked about his father’s sexual preference and he (Zeekie) has not been visiting the area as often as he used to,” said one cop, who did not want to be named.

During Phipps’ trial for the murders of Dayton ‘Scotchbrite’ Williams and Rodney Farquharson, whose charred remains were found at an open lot on Rose Lane in West Kingston in April 2005, evidence was tendered that Phipps ordered one of the men to perform oral sex on him. The prosecution told the court they had DNA evidence to prove their allegations.

Police say both men were shot in the head before their bodies were dragged to the lot and set ablaze.

A trail of blood leading from the community to the open lot led to Phipps’ arrest.

Phipps and another man, Garfield Williams were charged for the murders but Williams was found not guilty.