KINGSTON, Jamaica — The jury in the murder trial of Michael McLean who is charged with the murder of six relatives in St Thomas, today heard that the victims, which included four children, met their gruesome demise after the accused reportedly became concerned about something that one of the victims gave him to eat.

Director of Public Prosecution Paula Llewellyn, during her opening argument, said the accused was so concerned that he reportedly asked a friend to take him to visit an Obeah man where he was told “certain things”.

Among the victims of the gruesome incident are 42-year-old businesswoman Terry-Ann Mohammed, 29-year-old clerk Patrice Martin McCool and her children Jessie O’Gilvie, nine; Sean Chin, eight; Jhaid McCool, six; and Lloyd McCool, three.

The court heard that Terry-Ann, otherwise called ‘Teeny’, was a server at a bar and restaurant, which McLean operated in St Thomas, and that on or about February 24, 2006, McLean became concerned about something he was given to eat that did not agree with him. 

It is alleged that he visited an Obeah man and a day later placed a long and short knife in his car as well as a chopper and trowel. He was seen in the company of the four children that same day but left and returned only with Jihad, who was in the company of Terry-Ann around 10:00 pm.

About an hour later, McLean allegedly closed his business place and left with Jihad, Terry-Ann and a co-worker, who he dropped off 15 minutes later in the vicinity of his home.

The jury then heard that at 4:30 am the following day, he called his fiancé in St Mary and shortly after showed up at her home and took her and their baby to a local hotel.

McLean was allegedly seen with dirt particles on parts of him and vegetation on his car. While the accused was in the company of his fiancé, the five bodies of the two female and three children were found with the exception of Jihad.

All five victims had chops to the back of their neck and their throats slashed. Terry Ann, however, had severe burns to her body Patricia was found in a heavily bushed area near the beach in Prospect, while Sean and Lloyd were found on the beach.

Jessie was also found in bushes at the beach while Terry-Ann was found in another community. It is further alleged that while police were searching for Jihad, McLean, who by this time was being sought by the police, telephoned a police friend who went for him in Harbour View and took him to the Morant Bay Police Station.

On March 2, 2006, McLean, while giving a caution statement to police, reportedly halted the proceedings and led a police team to an area in St Mary off the main road where Jihad’s decomposing body was found buried in a shallow grave.

The post-mortem later revealed that Jihad died from suffocation while the others died from the neck wounds.

Tanesha Mundle