On Aug 2, 2023, the mother and sister of Kendine “Hoodie” Douglas, 36, cried as he is led away to serve a life sentence for murder.
Their attention is focused on co-conspirator and the mastermind of the crime, Richard “Carib” Francis, 38, of Layou.
But on May 4, 2017, it was fellow Rillan Hill resident Schemel “Jacket” Dunbar, who fired the four shots that ended the lives of Police Constable Danroy Cozier, 26, and his 19-year-old brother, Nicholas.
Eight days earlier, Francis, an ex-cop turned van driver, had gotten into a motor vehicle accident with Danroy and agreed to pay him for the damage.
However, he later concluded that it was cheaper to kill Danroy, and contracted Dunbar to do so.
Dunbar agreed, charging $1,500 and enlisted Douglas as his assistant.
However, on the day that the men would execute their murderous plot, Danroy turned up with his younger brother at the meeting point at Sion Hill intersection.
Francis lured them into his minivan and Dunbar, who was hiding inside, shot each of the brothers twice in the head as the van drove along the Sion Hill public road.
The men then dumped the bodies on the Sion Hill Bay beach.
At their first court appearance on May 8, 2017, Dunbar told Douglas’ mother not to worry, promising her that she would soon see her son.
It has been six years since. Barring a ruling of the court of appeal, Dunbar and Douglas are eligible for parole only after 30 years.
It will be some time still before either of them is freed — if ever.
In the meantime, Francis, the mastermind of the crime, pleaded guilty late in his trial, thereby avoiding a whole life sentence.
He has been sentenced to a further 34 years in prison.
With the death of the Cozier brothers, a father lost his only children, and six other children — namely Danroy’s daughter, and Richard Francis’ five children — were left to grow up without their fathers.
You will not see the sun shining anymore outside. You kill my son in law and his brother. They did not deserved that type of death.
My heart goes out to the victim family, that is one side that is never reported on. I don’t know what to say to you all but only The Most High forgives, men don’t.
Rosa it is very sad let jail be his kingdom curse be unto him. May he eat the bread that the devil refuse. Let him rot in jail and for his family who nurthred tbat crimnal curse be unto to them foor not bending the tree when it was possible.