GRANGE HILL, Westmoreland — Rodale Jones has no idea how to tell his six-year-old that her grandfather is dead.

Just a few days ago, 65-year-old Henry Jones had asked to see the child, whom he loved dearly, for Christmas. Like her grandfather, she had been eagerly looking forward to the visit. However, yesterday news came that Henry Jones and 42-year-old Bryan Chambers had been slaughtered and their goats stolen.

“I had plans to buy two cases of JB (John Crow Batty rum) and two cases of Red Stripe Beer for me and him to enjoy. And he said I should take his granddaughter and let all of us enjoy Christmas together,” a distraught Rodale Jones said yesterday, adding that the little girl had last seen her grandfather in November.

“I don’t tell my child as yet. I am wondering how I am going to tell her, because she has been asking me from when to let her see her grandfather,” he said.

Police report that the men, who are both from Crowder in Grange Hill, left home about 6:00 Monday morning with a herd of more than 60 goats, headed for a section of Mint Road in Grange Hill. Henry was a goatherder, and his friend Chambers was a construction worker.

Residents became concerned and raised an alarm after one of the goats that the men took out to graze returned home without the rest of the herd and their owners. Residents and police launched a search of the area about 1:00 pm. They found water boots, backpacks, and machetes belonging to the men.

Four ram goats that previously had no rope were also found tied up in a wooded section of the community.

The search resumed Tuesday morning about 6:00 and the men’s bodies were found in a section of a cane field at approximately 8:45 am.

Chambers’ nephew, who asked not to be identified by name, had started the day eager to search, though he had come to grips with the possibility that the men would not be found alive. His worst fears were realised when others who were searching shouted that they had found the missing men.

“When mi go, mi uncle tie up pon di stone dem, and the next old man lay down. Mi uncle look like him a sleep. Him get stab up [and] shot,” explained the young man.

This is the third death of a loved one he has had to face in the last year.

His uncle, he said, was one of three men killed in Crowder in April; his father, who had been ill, had died in July; and now another uncle’s life has been snuffed out.

“Mi just numb right now. Mi nuh know how fi feel,” he said. If he had not stayed home to babysit, he said, he would likely have been killed along with his uncle and Jones.

Meanwhile, one member of the search party that found the missing men said some farmers are thinking about getting out of the animal rearing business as it is becoming too risky.

“A sell the man dem a plan to sell out di goat dem now. Dem decide seh dem nuh want no more goat and cow because dem fraid of out ya so,” stated the resident.

“A couple year ago dem lick the big man [Jones] down and tek weh some ram from him,” he added.

Jones, he said, had switched to farming after having a problem getting paid for work done as a mechanic.

Meanwhile, one farmer, who is a friend of the men killed, is calling on the Government to allow farmers to arm themselves against criminals who are preying on them.

“I am not giving up farming, but the Government must give the farmers dem licensed gun. Mi would like that because if wi go buy one now and seh wi a protect wi animal and dem catch you with it, a problem,” stated the man, who did not give his name.

Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western Moreland Wilson also spoke of the need to ensure that farmers are protected.

“We should look at collaboration between Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of National Security, where registered and active farmers are given the tools necessary to protect themselves. The safety of our farmers, who form a part of the lifeblood of our economy, has now become an imperative,” he said.

He urged anyone with information to come forward and share what they know with the police.

When contacted, Deputy Superintendent of Police Adrian Hamilton, who is in charge of operations in Westmoreland, said the police are yet to make a breakthrough in the case.