CHAPELTON, Clarendon — As a Clarendon family struggles to come to terms with the tragic loss of a loved one, the police investigating his murder are trying to find out why he was in Linstead, St Catherine, at the time of his death.

The bullet-riddled body, which eventually was identified as that of 31-year-old Leevan Simpson, was found lying face-down at Lake Meadows about 8:30 pm on September 20.

A Mitsubishi L200 pickup, which he operated, was found parked near his body.

Police disclosed that Simpson, who was born and raised in Chapelton, was living at Sligoville in St Catherine up to the time of his demise.

Superintendent Howard Chambers, who heads the St Catherine North Police, said detectives are trying to find out — among other things — the reason Simpson was in Linstead.

One of Simpson’s paternal uncles, who spoke on behalf of the family, on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, stated that the information he received so far suggests that Simpson was working in the area on a construction project.

He did “everything in construction”, the uncle said, adding that his nephew works mainly for a man who is often off the island.

He explained that, at the time he heard about the tragedy, he was trying to contact Simpson about a grave they were to dig for a cousin.

“It feels like mi heart open and shut back; all now mi heart a burn mi,” the uncle lamented, while describing Simpson as intelligent and hard-working.

He recalled that after Simpson graduated from Edwin Allen High School in Clarendon, he accompanied his father and cousin to different sites, learning building construction.

His nephew left Clarendon and enrolled at Portmore HEART Academy in St Catherine after his father died of an illness.

He later went back to doing construction work.

According to the uncle, Simpson was not just the only son for his father. He was also the main breadwinner for his mother, who is ill.

“Him a di backbone for his mother,” the uncle emphasised. “Him mother nuh have any other source. She have three pickney, and only him did a work. Him work an tek care a him mother and him small brother.”

The uncle wondered how Simpson’s former dependents, including his young son, will survive without him.

“It sad; it is sad,” the uncle added. “Mi nuh know him as nuh troublemaker; mi know him as a hard-working youth.”