A long-standing family dispute over land is alleged to be the cause of a double murder in the Cushnie Road section of Parks Road in St Andrew on Monday evening, cutting plans short for one of two elderly victims who was preparing to migrate to the United States.

The two victims have been identified as 76-year-old Walton Pusey and 61-year-old Sylvester Leslie, who was the one relatives said was planning to migrate and join his fiancé in the US.

The double murder is said to have taken place between 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm Monday when residents reportedly heard explosions.

The bloodied body of Pusey, who is believed to have been the target, was found following the shooting. Tuesday morning, Leslie’s body was discovered in bushes.

It is theorised that Leslie, who was on his way home, got caught in the gunfire.

One of Leslie’s relatives placed both hands on her head on Tuesday morning as reality hit that he would no longer be rushing to her assistance whenever there was a “manly task” to be undertaken at her house. “Nobody was looking for this,” said the relative, adding that a number of people were in mourning.

“Somebody called me this morning and said to run come because he’s dead. I understand that he wasn’t supposed to go to work the morning; he was supposed to go and do his medical to go to America. He was a labourer and was the father of three,” said Leslie’s relative.

“We don’t know what really caused this. A whole lot of shots were fired; he seemed to have got caught up in the gunfire. Eyewitnesses said when the car stopped, the man just go in pon the other man and start shot him,” the relative claimed.

Pusey’s relatives were still in shock when the Jamaica Observer visited their home on Tuesday. They were in no mood to speak.

Residents alleged that it was known to many that there was a long-standing issue between Pusey and a relative over land.

They claimed that the land dispute had been the source of misery for Pusey.