INVESTIGATORS in May Pen, Clarendon, are probing an incident which left a woman hospitalised and her spouse burnt to death in a fire at their home at Pleasant Valley in the parish on Sunday.

The dead man has been identified as 28-year-old Mark Riley. The injured woman, who was said to be in serious condition, had not yet been identified.

According to the May Pen police, just after 4:00 am Sunday residents heard cries for help coming from the woman, whose house was also seen engulfed in flames. When the police and firefighters arrived the woman was seen with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to hospital for treatment while firefighters extinguished the blaze.

Riley’s charred remains were subsequently found by firefighters.

The police, who believe the death and injuries were a result of a domestic dispute, have renewed their appeal for victims of that type of violence to seek the necessary intervention through the police, church, court or other support systems.

The constabulary’s Corporate Communications Unit has also reported that one man died and four persons were hospitalised following a vehicular collision on the Lilliput main road in St James on Sunday. The dead man is 21-year-old Christopher Sherman of Ranch Road, Montego Bay, St James.

The Barrett Town police reported that about 2:00 am Sherman was driving a Toyota Yaris motor car with three female passengers when he collided with a Toyota Axio motor car. Sherman was pronounced dead at hospital and the others, including the driver of the Axio, were admitted to hospital in serious condition.

Teen on extortion charge

Meanwhile, a Clarendon teen was charged on the weekend with attempt to extort a medical officer in St Catherine on Thursday, June 27. The Four Paths police reported that about 10:49 am the teenager sent a message to the St Catherine-based doctor, demanding a sum of money and making threats.

The police were alerted and a digital forensic analysis was done, which implicated the teen. He was subsequently arrested and charged with demanding money with menace, and is to appear in the Clarendon Parish Court on Friday, July 5.