Westmoreland killing, Clarendon school bus crash and Central Village traffic disruption lead Jamaica updates

Police sources say an interpersonal conflict is being examined as a possible motive in the killing of Vinroy Hoilness, a labourer and backhoe operator believed to be in his 40s, in Retreat, Westmoreland, on Wednesday. Deputy Superintendent Charlene Graham-Morris said the probe was still at an early stage, adding that the matter appeared "more domestic than any other crime."

Graham-Morris, who commands the Negril and Little London police zones, spoke after a Negril Destination Assurance Council meeting at the James Hunter Event Centre at Boardwalk Village Shopping Village in Negril on Wednesday afternoon. Hoilness was reportedly attacked inside his home in the early morning, and his head was found partly severed from his body. Reports said his two children, who were in the house, were covered and placed under a bed by the attackers before one child raised an alarm at daybreak. Residents who declined to be named described him as a good person.

Police did not provide further case details. Graham-Morris said major crimes in the zone, including murders, shootings and robberies, have fallen this year. No figures were given for Little London, where the killing occurred, but she said the area had recorded two murders so far this year, compared with six in 2014. Westmoreland Operations Officer Deputy Superintendent Jordine Allen told the parish municipal corporation last week that Westmoreland had 10 murders this year, down from 16 over the comparable period last year.

The Ministry of Education is also tracking the recovery of Garvey Maceo High School students hurt in Wednesday morning's crash in Clarendon. The ministry said 39 students were affected and an educational social worker from Region 7 was sent to hospital to support the children and their relatives. Minister Dana Morris Dixon said several students had been discharged and officials would continue to work with the school and health teams.

The crash occurred about 7:57 a.m. near the May Pen entrance to the Williamsfield toll road, where a coaster bus reportedly hit a concrete median. At least 41 people were injured. By early Thursday, 23 of the 39 students had left hospital, while three remained admitted for care and observation.

In St. Catherine, driver Fabian Cole escaped injury after a 40-foot trailer overturned on Thursday morning along the Central Village main road, causing heavy traffic. Cole said the unit developed mechanical trouble shortly after 9 a.m. while travelling from Kingston with a chassis attached. Police responded quickly and assisted with traffic while a crane was awaited.

Dohlase's Funeral Services in Westmoreland has denied sending the wrong body to Sunday's funeral for Roy Williams at Westmoreland Seventh-day Adventist Church. The company said the remains presented were the same body its staff collected from the Westmoreland Infirmary on March 21, 2026, after a doctor pronounced Williams dead at about 11:11 p.m. It said the matter is under police investigation and that the body was returned to its facility after the service.