Whitewater Meadows, St Catherine resident Yvette Scott is engulfed in pain and disbelief.

During an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday, she expressed that she would have done anything to dissuade her 50-year-old police inspector neighbour and friend, Enroy Madourie, who is suspected to have committed suicide, from allegedly committing the act. It is theorised that Madourie shot and killed himself in one of his motor vehicles which was parked across the street from his house on Finchley Road. His body was found with a single gunshot wound to the head.

It is also understood that Tuesday would have been his 50th birthday.

Scott said all she has to carry on with are fond memories of her “earthly protector” who was nicknamed ‘Rick’.

“I have known him for 18 years. This man was like a son to me. Just like how a good son would treat a mother. If I don’t have any money, I could go to him and he would lend me. He would go in his pocket same time and he wouldn’t ask when I was giving it back. Anything he has over there like soursop, mango or lime, if he picked it, he would give it to me.

“He would say ‘come ‘Scotty’. He did a lot of planting. He didn’t like ackee, so because he and his wife don’t fool around it, him always seh ‘come pick ackee, Miss Scott’. He has a few cherry trees and when dem bear, him seh ‘you can take that one’. All 10 pound a cherry me one will get. Sometimes he would leave fruits on the wall and I would know that is him leave it there for me.”

Madourie’s death, according to the distraught Scott, is like a jigsaw puzzle that seems impossible to piece together. She never seen him angry or heard him involved in scuffles with anyone.

“I am deeply sorry because he was the nicest neighbour you could want. That mango tree is not mine and when me and mi friend dem a pick from it, he would sit there on the verandah and him never once said I can’t pick it. My friends would line up and I would throw mango give dem. Rick was an angel. I don’t even think I want to stay here after everything. For me to look and don’t see him, it bothers me. Mi can’t believe seh di man just go over there and tek himself. If he came and said something to me, I would talk him out of it.

“I know it is not financial problems. See the man just put on him roof deh a month ago and he is pleasant all the time. Sunday-to-Sunday, rain or shine, he is the same. He used to walk in the mornings at around 5:00 am. Me used to walk to and I would wait till when I hear him pull the grille, and a me dat behind him. He was my protector. If anybody told me, I would bet my house that he wouldn’t kill himself. I didn’t see that in that man.”

Latoya McLean, another neighbour of Madourie, like Scott, was also puzzled. She too had close interactions with him and was also one of his exercise partners in the mornings. She shared that at nights when she felt like hanging out in her yard a bit late at nights, he would always check to ensure she was safe. She told the Observer that she attended his 49th birthday celebration last year and was looking forward to this year’s festivities.

“I feel very, very bad. It shake up a lot of us as neighbours because we don’t see ‘Rick’ as that person. It is surprising that it is that bad he couldn’t reach out to somebody. I can’t believe that there is not one person he could talk to about his problems. It seems he just gave up and it is shocking. We are heartbroken. Sometimes because he has chickens, he would say sometimes, ‘Latty, may a get a hand on Friday’ to pluck some chickens and we would talk. Him is a family man. He is always communicating with his family. He was just a very wonderful man.”

As an inspector, Madourie was assigned to the Enhanced Security Measures Division in St Catherine. His colleagues were immediately saddened upon hearing of his unexpected death as he was always in good spirits. Investigations continue in the matter.