SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland the Westmoreland police have charged two men for the shooting death of a common-law couple in the presence of their eight children at their home at Dalling Street Savanna-la-Mar nearly two weeks ago.

The accused, 20-year-old mechanic Nicholas Reuben of 135 Dalling Street and 22-year-old unemployed Shane Delliser of Barracks Road, were charged over the weekend for the murders of 33-year-old Rosemarie Wilson, also called ‘Wendy’, and Junior Pilliner, otherwise called ‘Tyan’, a 44-year-old farmer. The accused are scheduled to appear in the Savanna-la-Mar RM Court later this week.

The common-law couple have left behind eight children, whose ages range from four to 19 years.

Jamaica Observer sources said Rueben had been before the court on an earlier charge for the alleged murder of 16-year-old St Peter Maxwell who was a friend of the slain couple’s 18-year-old son. It was alleged that the two friends broke Reuben’s foot during a fight in 2012.

Reports are that about 11:45 on the night of the killing, gunmen went to the couple’s home and called for the 18-year-old son. When the eldest son responded they pounced on him. He scampered back inside the house where he was assisted by his mother in bracing the door to keep out the attackers who tried kick in the door. The mother was leaning against the door with her back when the gunmen opened fire, hitting her in the back. Upon leaving, they fired a shot which caught the father in his head, after he was jolted awake by the noise. They both died instantly.

Swift action by investigators assigned to the Savanna-la-Mar CIB led to the capture of two suspects who were questioned in the presence of their lawyers and subsequently charged.