The Half-Way Tree police are concerned that the brutal and similar killings of three homeless men in less than two weeks, might be a sign of an emerging trend.

Officer in charge of crime for the St. Andrew Central Division, Deputy Superintendent McArthur Sutherland, told THE WEEKEND STAR, "Three of them have been killed since this year and they have all been done in the same fashion. They were all badly chopped, in the head and all over their bodies. These are the street people we see every day when we're on the road."

The body of the latest victim was discovered yesterday in the cemetery of the St. Andrew Parish Church. The grim discovery was made by passers-by at about 10:30 a.m. According to DSP Sutherland, the victim, who has not been identified, had several chop wounds to his head and stomach. One of his hands was also completely severed at the wrist.

While investigators were on that scene, yet another body was discovered. This discovery was made shortly after 12 p.m. , along Ruthven Road. This victim was also badly chopped all over his body.

UNSURE OF MOTIVE

Although it is too early for the police to be sure of a motive, DSP Sutherland said, "We find it strange. Bits and pieces suggest that it could be other men that are mentally challenged walking around with machetes and attacking these men while they sleep."

The body of the first victim was discovered by passers-by last week along Ruthven Road. He has still not been identified, and according to the police, is known only as 'Oney'. After this discovery, DSP Sutherland said the police had been "checking the gullies and the areas that they [street persons] hang out. We were paying more attention to areas like Ruthven Road and Waterloo Road, to see if it has to do with their own little homeless network."

DISTURBED

Senior medical officer at the Bellevue Hospital and former chairperson of what was once the Homelessness Commitee, Dr. Maureen Irons Morgan, was very disturbed by the news. She told THE WEEKEND STAR, "This is the first I'm hearing about this. I would love to speak to the police or to have them meet with the community mental health team so we can analyse the situation and try to come up with solutions."

She said the community mental health team was interested in working more closely with the police and also suggested that the officers could look to other homeless persons for answers. "They could interview other homeless persons who may have seen something or who might have information, but if we can deal with homeless persons then we can prevent a lot of these problems and brutal attacks because homelessness puts you at risk."