Bloody weekend brings homicide count in SVG to 28

Homicide investigators have their hands full this weekend with three killings having taken place here in less than 24 hours.

The first to succumb was Raphael “Snaky” O’Neil of Vermont who was hit with multiple gunshots at around 10.30 on Friday night at Vermont. An ex-convict, O’Neil was recently released from prison.

About half hour later, at around 11:00 pm, Andrew Roberts was shot and killed in the Casson Hill area.

Reports are that a Paul Over man, Dale Lyttle, was sitting in his vehicle in the Richmond Hill area when he was approached by two men, one of whom was brandishing a .38 revolver.

It is alleged that Lyttle was beaten about his body and forced into the backseat of his vehicle by the men. Reports are that Lyttle managed to overpower Roberts who was in the backseat with him, relieve him of his firearm and shoot him in the chest.

Lyttle then fired at the driver who crashed the vehicle, a white Audi. According to reports, the driver fled and Lyttle was able to flag down a police patrol vehicle.

A man was found wounded in the area on Saturday morning and investigators are trying to determine if he was the driver in Lyttle’s abduction.

Also shot and killed this weekend was Keisha Melville of Murray’s Village. Reports are that Melville, a mother of three, was shot twice in the head in her hometown and died on the spot on Saturday night at around 7:30.

Another shooting also took place on Saturday night. Shot and rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) was Belair resident Ezekiel Robin.

Searchlight will provide updates as more information comes to hand.

These three killings bring the number of violent deaths reported here for the year to 28.