ANGLICAN BISHOP Michael Maxwell was a sad man on June 22 as he reflected on the circumstances which led to the slaying of two men at the abandoned bishop’s residence at Bishop’s Court Hill, St Michael.
Within minutes of each other, the two were slashed to death allegedly by a vagrant who had made the abandoned property his home.
One was a worker contracted to remove asbestos from the residence, and the other, NATION photographer Christoff Griffith, who was following the story of the first death.
Maxwell said the worker, who was later identified as Glenroy James, of Grazettes, St Michael, was part of a team contracted by the church to remove asbestos.
“They would have started last week and it’s very sad this situation would have arisen where it is speculated the person [involved)] would have been a vagrant on the property. We are not sure yet but, unfortunately, we’ve had the death of one worker and another person murdered,” he said on the scene while awaiting word from police who had blocked off the entrance to the property from a growing crowd.
“We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the families of our departed brothers and we will do whatever we can to assist. It is very unfortunate what has happened,” the Bishop added.
He said the church had tried to keep the property safe. “We have tried to keep out vagrants. We placed barriers in the area, but I’m not sure you can actually prevent vagrants from being on the property.” (BA)
