Three persons were killed in two separate shootings in less than 12 hours on Thursday in Clarendon.

The first incident happened about 2:30 a.m. at Savannah Cross, Clarendon when a couple was killed in the presence of two minors.

Dead is 25-year-old Indria Coleman of Hunts Pen, Clarendon and 50-year-old Carl Ellington of Smithville, Clarendon.

Police reports are that about 2:30 am on Thursday, gunmen kicked open the door to the dwelling in which the couple was staying along with two minors ages 2 and eleven. The gunmen robbed the couple of an undetermined sum of money before shooting the two. Ellington ran out of the house in a bid to escape but was chased and killed outside by his attackers.

Coleman's aunt told THE STAR that, her niece had just moved to the area on Sunday evening and Ellington had only arrived in Jamaica on Sunday. She added "I don't know why someone would want to kill my niece because she is a decent and law abiding citizen of Jamaica."

Deputy Superintendent of Police in charge of Crime for Clarendon, Cleon Marsh told THE STAR that the police has detained a man who is believed to be the main suspect, they are now in pursuit of two others who might have useful information that might bring the case to an early closure.

The two children were said to be Coleman's children.

A few hours later, Joseph Brown of Harris Street, May Pen was murdered by a gunman in the Doctor Bell Drive area of May Pen.

According to police reports, Brown was riding in the Doctor Bell area of May Pen when he was approached by a gunman about 12:30 pm. Brown ran but was chased by his attacker. He was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries on the scene.

The STAR learnt that Brown had just been released from prison. Both scenes were processed by the Area 3 Scene of Crime Unit and the May Pen CIB is investigating both cases