ST CATHERINE, Jamaica— The Linstead police are probing their second murder in less than 24 hours after a man was shot dead in the rural town Thursday morning.

The deceased, identified as Uriah Bailey, a butcher from Victoria district, was shot dead at a slaughterhouse where he worked on Forte Street, both in Linstead, St Catherine.

Reports are that around 11:50 am, Bailey and two other men were at the slaughterhouse preparing to sell soup in the Linstead Town Centre.

During that time, a man entered the yard and opened gunfire at Bailey, hitting him in the head and upper body. As a result of this, the police were summoned.

On arrival, police saw Bailey’s body lying on its right side, clad in a black and white T-shirt, black shorts and a pair of black slippers, with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head and upper section.

Residents told Observer Online that they believe both shooting incidents were related pointing out that Thursday morning’s murder was a reprisal for Wednesday night’s killing. Efforts to get confirmation of the residents’ claim from the police have so far proven futile.