KINGSTON, Jamaica — Fifteen years after a brutal home invasion in St Andrew, a seven-member jury found Steve Dawkins guilty of the 2010 murder of Derrick Lord, following a trial in the Home Circuit Court last Wednesday.

The incident occurred on August 5, 2010, when a neighbour — a retired district constable — heard cries of “murder, murder, him a kill me, call the police” coming from Lord’s home on Kirk Avenue. The neighbour immediately contacted the police and kept watch until officers arrived approximately five minutes later.

Upon arrival, police observed Dawkins running from the back of the house. When questioned, he claimed he was there to steal mangoes. However, investigators quickly discovered the body of Lord inside the house, bound with handcuffs, gagged with duct tape, and bearing a fatal stab wound to the neck. No signs of forced entry were found.

Due to numerous delays over the years, primarily because of the accused changing attorneys 10 times, the trial began on May 5, 2025 before presiding judge Justice Carolyn Tie-Powell.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), eight witnesses, including six police officers (most of whom are now retired or no longer in the force) testified. One witness gave evidence via video link from London, supported by the Jamaican Consulate.

The ODPP said the case hinged largely on circumstantial and forensic evidence. DNA samples taken from the crime scene included one blood spot that matched Dawkins’ profile, and another mixed profile containing genetic material from both Dawkins and the victim.

Prosecutors praised the exceptional work of the investigating officers from the Constant Spring Police Station and highlighted the importance of scientific evidence and the role of the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine in securing the conviction.

Dawkins, who had been on bail for most of the 15-year period, was remanded in custody following the verdict.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2025.