MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Detectives here up to late Tuesday had not determined a motive for the murder of a used car dealer whose nude body was found stuffed in the trunk of a Toyota Mark X in Kendal hours earlier.

“The murder seems personal based on the circumstances. The victim bought and sold used cars. We are looking into the incident to determine the motive and make a breakthrough,” a police source told the Jamaica Observer.

Police identified the murder victim as 45-year-old Damian Taylor also known as “Zali”, a resident of Water Mouth, Porus, Manchester.

Police said the grisly discovery was made about midnight when the car was found in bushes off the Kendal to Content main road across from the Kirkvine Sports Complex.

Police said the body had what appeared to be gunshot and chop wounds.

The murder sent shockwaves through Porus where Taylor was a renowned carpenter and businessman.

“He was always hard-working. He used his skills as a carpenter to build himself over the years. For a while he also was a taxi operator until he became a used car dealer, so this murder is truly puzzling,” a resident of Porus who asked not to be named told the Observer.

Councillor Claudia Morant-Baker (Jamaica Labour Party, Porus Division) described Taylor as a community person.

“He was a no-nonsense person. I remember when he worked on the Redberry road… he always upheld discipline… He was one of the carpenters in the area. He did his business of buying and selling cars and he also operated a taxi. He was always decent,” said Morant-Baker.

Police at the scene where used car dealer Damian Taylor’s nude body was found stuffed in the trunk of a Toyota Mark X in Kendal Tuesday morning. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

Taylor’s slaying has pushed the murder figure for Manchester so far this year to 26 homicides.

An uptick in murders continues to plague the south-central parish where police statistics show that up to September 5, Manchester recorded 25 murders compared to 22 for the corresponding period last year.

Addressing last Thursday’s sitting of the Manchester Municipal Corporation, head of the Manchester Police Division Deputy Superintendent Odean Dennis said three categories of serious crimes continue to reflect an increase.

“While we are seeing a reduction in four of the seven major crime categories, we continue to see an uptick in murders, aggravated assault and shootings… These increases present a challenge to us, but it is something that we are not daunted by,” said Dennis.

He added that the police continue to target lottery scamming, which is linked to serious crimes such as shootings and murders.

“We are seeing an increase in the informal and unregistered businesses, so the high volume of citizens and cash circulating in the commercial space also creates an opportunity for larceny, robbery as well as extortion,” Dennis noted.

The divisional commander said his team has launched an operation targeting wanted persons, violence producers, gang members, lottery scammers, breachers of public order, pickpockets, and other offenders across Mandeville and its environs.

“It is geared towards building trust, confidence and reassuring the citizens who reside and operate within the division of the police’s commitment to keep them safe,” explained Dennis.