A man implicated in the killing and dismembering of his sibling, 26-year-old Jerome Forrester, in the community of Tank Lane in Oracabessa, St Mary, was found dead with multiple wounds yesterday in a suspected case of jungle justice.

Police were alerted to the body of the man, Alfred Forrester, Jerome’s older brother, in the nearby community of Jacks River, yesterday, hours after angry residents had gone searching for him.

According to the reports reaching the Jamaica Observer, what should have been a day of togetherness and festivities in the quiet, rural community on Christmas Day, turned into the tragic unravelling of a squabble among three siblings.

It is alleged that Jerome, also known as Poppy D, got into a fist fight with Alfred at a shop in the community on Friday evening after having a heated argument with his sister.

Residents said that the siblings retreated to their home that evening and Jerome was never seen again. On Tuesday, residents who were searching for Jerome found some dismembered body parts in an advanced state of decomposition in “knitted bags” in bushes at the back of his house. Up to late yesterday the police, aided by residents, were continuing their search for the other body parts.

One resident, who was second in line to witness the grisly scene, told the Observer that the siblings had frequent squabbles, and they were drinking at a shop in the community when the fight started.

“Di three a dem were down by the shop, and di sister said something to [Jerome] and him attack her in a aggressive way. The older brother get involve and dem start wrestle.

“Di older brother knife drop and Poppy D tek it up and fling it weh. After dat dem kind a cool it dung and di bigger brother leave say him a guh home, and di younger brother walk di next way guh home. Dat was di last time wi hear from them until di next morning when wi nuh see di younger brother,” said the resident who asked not to be named.

Jerome, who lived with his siblings, their elderly mother and a young niece in a one-bedroom dwelling at the top of a hill in Tank Lane, was described as a community jokester who people could rely on to do menial jobs.

“Is a yute weh drink and him mischievous sometimes, but him have a good spirit. In spite a all him troubles, him always mek yuh laugh. Everybody miss him,” said the resident, as he bemoaned the loss of his friend and expressed anger at the mother’s and sister’s complicity with “the wicked act”.

“Him give trouble sometime, but him never deserve this. Di family a dem did up deh in a di night a wash weh di blood and a wash out di clothes weh di older bredda did have on when him chop him up,” the resident alleged.

He further alleged that Alfred had become stern with his siblings after the death of their father several years ago.

“Di reason why everything never sum up from early is because di mother and sister hide it. Maybe is because dem fraid say him a guh kill di rest a dem. A yesterday when wi find di body dem start talk wah happen because dem see say di police get involve.

“Di bigger brother get strict from dem father dead. Him nuh want nobody come up there. Him get rid a all di other siblings that lived up there. Him and him younger brother and di sister were di only ones left at the house,” the resident said.

The niece, whose age has not yet been ascertained, reportedly told investigators that the two brothers had continued fighting when they returned home that evening.

“Dat is what di likkle girl tell di police dem. Say dem did outside and she hear di younger brother bawl out, ‘Mommy! Look weh him do. Mi a guh lock him up.’

“When di mother come out, di older brother tell her fi guh back inside and lock di door and from dat nuh more sign a him,” said the resident.

Neighbours said they became suspicious when Jerome was not seen the following day and his family members went silent about his whereabouts.

Also, reports that Alfred, known in the community as Jebi, was seen leaving the community early Saturday morning without his usual head of dreadlocks, raised further suspicions.

“Him usually guh fishing early in a di morning, so it never surprise wi when wi see him missing. But what surprise wi is when wi never see him come back. People who see him when him a guh out say dem see him wid him head shave off and him a carry a bag pon him back.

Investigators attached to the Oracabessa Police Station were looking for Alfred yesterday until he was found dead in the nearby community of Jacks River.

The Forrester brothers’ mother and sister had been taken into custody by the police on Tuesday, for allegedly failing to report a murder.