Hanover murder accused remanded as police probe gun seizure, St Ann killing and islandwide blackout

Several major police, military and utility developments were reported on Sunday, June 7, including a Hanover murder case involving a US passport holder, the arrest of a Jamaica Defence Force private, a woman’s killing in St Ann, a fire at Up Park Camp and official pushback against blackout conspiracy theories.

In Hanover, 36-year-old Aldine Germaine Blake, otherwise called Dean, was remanded when he appeared in the Hanover Parish Court on Friday. Blake, described as originally from Jamaica and the holder of a United States passport, is charged with murder and breaches of the Immigration Act. Investigators say he had been in Jamaica since October last year and should have departed on April 3. He is accused of killing 33-year-old Bradshaw, reported as being from Tampa, Florida, and Bullsby, Hanover. Police say Blake, Bradshaw and a young baby believed to be their child were staying at a rental house in Bullsby when the incident occurred. Attorney Tamika Davis, former member of parliament for Hanover Western, represented Blake. The case is set to return to court on Friday, June 12.

Police said Bradshaw was injured during an altercation about 2 a.m. Concerned persons reportedly contacted lawmen after seeing Blake walking along the main road toward Lucea with the baby before dawn. He was later held.

In St Catherine, detectives from the St Catherine South Police Division arrested a Jamaica Defence Force private on reasonable suspicion of illegal firearm possession after a search at Zan Hill, Glengoff. Police reported seizing a Glock P80 pistol with no visible markings and a magazine containing five rounds. The soldier, whose name was withheld, was placed at the Portmore lock-up while police and the army’s Special Investigative Unit investigate.

St Ann police are also probing the death of an unidentified woman whose body was found in Mammee Bay shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday with her throat slashed. The St Ann’s Bay Criminal Investigation Branch is leading that inquiry and has appealed for information.

At Up Park Camp, the JDF urged patience after a barracks fire on Friday night. Colonel General Staff Damian Creary said the Jamaica Fire Brigade is leading an external probe, while internal checks continue. Military sources claimed the old wooden barracks had long raised safety concerns.

Energy Minister Daryl Vaz, alongside JPS officials, rejected claims linking Friday’s islandwide outage to the USS Nimitz visit or the Up Park Camp fire. JPS chief executive Hugh Grant said bad weather caused the loss of five transmission lines, triggering a grid-wide shutdown.