A farmer of Mill Bank, Portland has become the third murder victim in the parish since the start of the year.

Fifty-one-year-old Linton Henry Palmer, better known as ‘Warnerman’, was allegedly fatally stabbed by an uncle whose name is being withheld.

The police report that the uncle was at his house washing when Palmer went there and started an argument.

According to OBSERVER ONLINE sources, Palmer took up a metal object and started beating his uncle with it.

It is alleged that the uncle armed himself with a knife and retaliated by stabbing Palmer in the left side of his chest. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Head of the Portland Police Division, Superintendent Lloyd Darby, in addressing the annual general meeting of the Portland Lay Magistrates Association Thursday afternoon, pointed to Palmer’s murder and confirmed that it was the third in the relatively peaceful parish since the start of this year.

Darby said it is believed that both men were facing mental challenges as he confirmed that they were related.

“It is sad. The domestic issues that played out and the inability to resolve these issues is really a driver for violent cases. I have not gotten the full report as yet but.. the suspect and the victim were both persons with mental issues. That is the report I got,” he disclosed.

Darby encouraged the Justices of the Peace to intervene in domestic disputes as he noted that there are reports that the two men had frequent altercations.

“Our message to the communities is to get involved… when you see these things. We want to be told, we want to intervene, we don’t want the stain of the stigma violence and killings coming out of our communities with many of these issues,” Darby continued.

He added: “We believe that with enough noticing, enough counselling with community members, some of these issues can be amended, some of these results don’t have to be. We ask you as JPs to look out for these issues; speak to people in your communities. We have the restorative justice that is doing a fine job in your parish.”

Evererd Owen