TWO families were left mourning the loss of loved ones who were shot dead two Saturdays ago in Fort George, Annotto Bay, in St Mary.

The deceased, 47-year-old taxi driver Robert Brown and 34-year-old cashier Diana Boothe, were shot dead while aboard Brown’s taxi by an unknown assailant. The police believe that robbery was the motive.

The double murder sent shock waves throughout the community and has left family members searching for answers.

“He was a father, husband and friend, so it’s kind of puzzling to see what they did to him. I don’t know of him having any enemy,” Brown’s wife, Elizabeth, told the Jamaica Observer North East when the team visited the community last Tuesday.

The woman, who shared that her husband was also a deacon, described him as a very helpful man who oftentimes delivered gas for residents. She could only describe his killing as wicked as she broke out in tears. Brown’s body was observed slumped over his steering wheel when residents arrived on the scene.

She said when she heard that he had died she thought that he had crashed, but that was quickly cleared up by community members.

Elizabeth said her husband’s death has been especially difficult for his three children, one of whom is adopted. She said that the two younger ones have had to break from school and are to receive counselling as a result.

“It rough; it very rough,” she said before breaking down in tears again.

“I could depend on him for anything I want and him gone without saying goodbye. It hurt me; it hurt me so much,” the woman, who was completely overcome with grief, said.

His adopted daughter, Jillian Cleghoon, who was also at a loss for words, said she spoke with her father shortly before he was murdered as he was the one who took her to the bus stop. She was heading to Kingston.

“He helped so many people, he was kind, loving,” Cleghoon said as her voice softened into sobs.

Brown’s wife said the news, which had reached England, has left family members and friends there “cut up”. Brown had lived and worked there for two years.

“Them cyah believe; them cyah believe somebody would do him a thing like that. He’s a person who talks so if he was having problems with anyone he would have said it,” she said.

At the same time, Boothe’s mother, Beverley Espeut, told the Observer North East that the family is grappling with her death.

She said Boothe’s three children — aged five, 10 and 16 — have not been doing well.

“It rough. You can imagine? She just leave to go work and in the space of no time mi get message seh she dead. Them naah do well,” she said.

“I was at work and mi hear them seh, ‘Mommy them just shoot uncle Robert down the road’, and same time mi seh mi a go look. Same time the big daughter (Boothe’s eldest child) seh, ‘Mommy, Diana inna it to’,” Espeut recalled.

Police say Boothe’s body was discovered some metres away from the vehicle as she had attempted to escape but was chased and shot.

Espeut said that assistance from the community has made coping “much easier”. She said that she is awaiting more from the police who have told her that they have a “strong lead”.