Jamaica news roundup: St James murder accused, Kingston KFC blast and severe weather alert

Several major Jamaican news developments were reported on Thursday, May 28, 2026, including the first court appearance of a St. James man accused of killing his American wife, an explosion at a downtown Kingston KFC, continuing testimony in a police murder trial, severe wind and marine warnings, and complaints over unrepaired hurricane-damaged roads in Trelawny.

Dne Watson, 31, went before the court on Wednesday in connection with the killing of 35-year-old New York resident Melissa Sam North, who had been in Jamaica for her birthday. Watson told the court relatives had spoken with an attorney and gave a lawyer’s name, but no family members attended and the name was not on the prosecution file. He was charged on May 20 after Sam North was found with several injuries at Cornwall Regional Hospital on April 29 and later died. Police believe she was taken there by the suspect, who then left. Investigators also believe Watson later fled St. James and was hiding in St. Mary before relatives helped arrange his surrender through police. The investigating officer sought a psychiatric assessment, which Judge Naticia Fairlo Hilton approved. Watson also told the court he had previously suffered a collapsed lung and sometimes experiences an irregular heartbeat and breathing difficulty.

In Kingston, two technicians were treated for burns after an explosion at a KFC restaurant downtown on Wednesday. Operations manager Christopher Powell said the company’s focus was the safety of workers, customers and others at the premises. No life-threatening injuries had been reported based on the information available, and the site was secured while emergency support was provided.

In the murder trial of six policemen, defence lawyers questioned a forensic analyst about unmatched male DNA reportedly recovered from a blue Mitsubishi Outlander linked to the January 12, 2013 shooting deaths of Matthew Lee, Ucliffe Dyer and Mark Allen. Sergeant Simroy Mott, Corporal Donovan Fullerton, and constables Andrew Smith, Sheldon Richards, Randy Rose and Richard Lynch are on trial. Fullerton also faces a false-statement charge. The analyst said the sample did not produce a DNA profile, though other samples matched the three deceased men.

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica warned that a low-level jet stream was expected to keep producing strong winds and rough seas through Saturday, especially along southern parishes and offshore areas. Fishers and marine operators were urged to be extremely cautious.

In South Trelawny, residents said road breakaways left by Hurricane Melissa last October, including along the Albert Town-to-Delmar corridor, remain a danger. Hugh Dixon, Ronell Williams and Councillor Winston Smith all raised concern that the worsening road edges could put motorists at risk as another hurricane season approaches.