For more than five decades Barbara Gayle reported matters — some of them the most gruesome murders — from the island’s courts. On Monday afternoon, in a cruel twist of irony, the veteran journalist became a victim of murder, plunging the nation into shock at what has been described as a senseless and brutal act.

Gayle’s murder was made even more painful for her family, as her cousin, Michael Daubon, told the Jamaica Observer that her son, who lives overseas, was marking his birthday on Tuesday, the day her body was found with stab wounds inside her house in the gated community of Caymanas Country Club Estate, Phase One, in St Catherine.

“I still think I am dreaming. I wasn’t thinking something like this would happen in a gated community. This is the last place I would expect anything like this to happen to her,” Daubon said.

“She is well loved by everybody around here. She has some great neighbours. Sunday was the last time I spoke to her and she prayed for me and everything. I told her if she needed anything just call me and I would take care of it,” he added.

“She is not even around to celebrate her son’s birthday today. For him to get a sad news like this on his birthday is wicked, wicked,” said Daubon.

“I feel it was somebody she knows who did this to her. It doesn’t make sense to me. It nuh add up. I am still trying to put the pieces together,” he said, adding that he tried calling Gayle about 9:40 am on Tuesday.

“For somebody to come and take her life it doesn’t sit well with me. I am just hoping that cameras will show something,” he said.

Daubon’s reference was to camera footage obtained from the late journalist’s house that showed her sitting on her verandah and speaking with someone Monday afternoon. In the clip, Gayle is heard offering to place a phone call to a woman apparently known to her and the person with whom she was speaking.

The footage has provided the police with material to pursue what they say is an intensive investigation.

“What we are getting so far is that she was last seen sometime after 3:00 pm on Monday having a conversation with an unknown gentleman. Sometime after 10:00 am on Tuesday, residents who are used to her routine of coming out in the morning and checking on them and to call to them, they never saw that usual activity, and so they went to check on her [at home] where her lifeless body was discovered. We are following strong leads at this time. We have the full support of all the investigative arms of the force,” Senior Superintendent of Police Christopher Phillips, who has responsibility for Area Five, told journalists at the murder scene.

Phillips said that Gayle was stabbed multiple times in the neck and was believed to have been hit in her head by her killer. Her motor vehicle and cellphone were taken, apparently by the killer, who it is believed was known to Gayle.

Although neighbours told the Observer that they do not have a clue as to the identity of the man in the video footage, they are convinced that Gayle knew him.

They believe her penchant for always extending acts of kindness to people made her vulnerable.

“Her kindness was her weakness. The killer took advantage of Barbara’s kindness,” one resident told the Observer.

At the time of her murder Gayle was on a freelance contract with The Gleaner, having retired in May 2012. She actually began her journalism career at the newspaper on September 2, 1968 and on retirement was offered the contract for 16 months as justice co-ordinator.

Before joining The Gleaner Gayle worked as a secretary at Papine Junior Secondary School from 1966 to 1968 after attaining secondary education at Holmwood High School between 1961 and 1965.

Throughout her years at the newspaper she honed her skills as a court reporter, earning respect and admiration of judges, lawyers, court staff, law enforcers, and readers.

Last month, during National Journalism Week, the 77-year-old Gayle was one of five practitioners of the craft honoured by the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) for distinguished service to the profession at the annual veteran’s luncheon.

The citation accompanying her award stated that, despite her forging lasting friendships in the legal community, she remained steadfast in her principles, embodying the highest standards of journalistic ethics.

The PAJ also highlighted the fact that Gayle sought to educate and empower the public through her column, titled Legal Wranglings, that addressed complex legal issues. The column earned her the PAJ Community Service Award in 1977 and a regional award from the Caribbean Association of Media Workers.

“That same year she was named Journalist of the Year for her courageous reporting on a Supreme Court case [in which] a rape victim was jailed for speaking ‘too softly’,” the citation said, adding that the story prompted widespread protests, leading to the victim’s release.

Her murder was condemned by Prime Minister Andrew Holness; Justice Minister Delroy Chuck; Information Minister Senator Dana Morris Dixon; Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange; the Opposition People’s National Party; the PAJ, the Media Association Jamaica; Government Senator and former journalist Abka Fitz-Henley; and President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica Pastor Everett Brown.

Director of Public Prosecution Paula Llewellyn told the Observer that Gayle’s murder left her feeling like a rag doll without stuffing.

Llewellyn recalled that when she was a young prosecutor Gayle reported on a lot of the matters in which she appeared and would always encourage her.

She said that she last spoke to Gayle on Sunday in a phone call that lasted about half an hour.

Llewellyn described Gayle as the original court reporter and said she just could not believe that she became a victim of murder.

Like many others who have commented on the tragedy, Llewellyn, too, believe the killer was well known to Gayle.