ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Against the backdrop of Saturday’s deadly family dispute in Stephenson Town, near Southfield in St Elizabeth, head of the parish’s police division Superintendent Coleridge Minto is urging people to amicably resolve conflict.

He also reminded the public that the parish has a domestic violence intervention centre located in Santa Cruz.

“We have had 14 murders since the start of this year. Just about 60 per cent of the murders are attributed to what we call interpersonal and in some cases domestic violence. The most recent murder stems from a family dispute. I continue to speak to persons in the parish that the division has a domestic violence intervention centre, it is located in Santa Cruz right at the police station and so persons who have conflicts, disputes that they are unable to solve, we encourage them and appeal to them to seek the services of the police,” he said on Sunday in Santa Cruz.

“There are trained individuals at this location that are willing and ready to assist persons with domestic disputes, it is quite unfortunate this situation which unfolded,” he added.

On Saturday a 19-year-old suspect accused of chopping his two brothers, one fatally, and wounding their mother, in Stephenson Town, was taken into police custody.

Police named the murder victim as Travis Williams, a resident and labourer of Stephenson Town.

A police report said shortly before 1:00 am, the 19-year-old allegedly inflicted chop wounds on his two siblings and mother at their family home.

One of the siblings, age 14, and their mother, age 43, were rushed to hospital in critical condition while Travis Williams died on the scene. Police said the murder victim had multiple extensive chop wounds all over his body.

— Kasey Williams