Young man killed in Greiggs cutlass attack

A feud which began almost five months ago has resulted in the death of a resident of Greiggs.{{more}}

28-year-old Lawson Matthews was chopped to death last Saturday, May 15, shortly after 7pm.

Cousin Keticia Matthews told SEARCHLIGHT that she last saw Lawson a short time before he was killed, when he visited her home looking for their uncle Sylvanus.

“I asked what do you want him for?” Keticia said, to which he replied that he wanted to tell him to stay off the road as he had heard someone had been issuing death threats against the family that day.

She told him of their uncle’s whereabouts and Lawson left.

A short while after Lawson left the yard, Keticia said she heard screams.

She went to investigate and said that she saw a man chopping Lawson.

“I went inside to call my mom and then I went back outside,” Keticia told SEARCHLIGHT.

Lawson’s mother Hyacinth said that after she learnt what had taken place, she proceeded to the scene of the crime, which was just a short distance from the family home.

She said she saw her son lying on the ground.

“He was groaning, I said ‘Lawson, Lawson’.”

SEARCHLIGHT reported in our issue of December 30, 2009, that on Christmas Day, Lawson and other family members had been involved in an altercation with a man during which Lawson and his uncle Sylvanus Matthews were beaten and chopped.

Just moments after that Christmas Day incident, Lawson and his mother Hyacinth are said to have been hit by a vehicle allegedly driven by the same man as they were leaving the scene.

Hyacinth says that she now has to live with numerous side effects as a result of the unwarranted attack back in December 2009.

But more troubling than the side effects are the months of torture and fear the family has had to endure in the months following that attack last year.

It is alleged that numerous threats had been made to members of the family, including threats to Lawson’s 10-year-old sister just days before the fatal attack last Saturday.

The family also contends that police took no action even after numerous reports of the death threats had been made.

Relatives told SEARCHLIGHT that reports made to the police that the man who is alleged to have attacked Lawson had been carrying a weapon were not heeded.

Attempts to seek redress at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) proved futile, as Hyacinth said that she was instructed to return to the Biabou Police Station.

Elvis Antoine, a resident of Lauders, was eventually arrested and charged for the December 2009 attack some time in March. Family members claim the arrest was only made after Clay Ann Matthews, Lawson’s aunt, raised the issue on a popular morning radio programme.

Family members did not hold back their emotions as they expressed their disgust at the manner in which the matter had been handled by the Police.

“It is because of police recklessness, carelessness and friendship why Lawson is dead,” Prenella Matthews, Lawson’s aunt, said.

“The police is to serve and protect,” she contended.

“He supposed to lose his life,” she added, referring to Lawson’s alleged attacker.

“To me, I want to see (him) lose he life, too, like how Lawson dead ‘cause he nearly kill me too,” an irate Hyacinth told SEARCHLIGHT.

“(Lawson) was not known as a trouble maker,” cousin Keticia said.

“He was a cool person who loved plenty girls,” she added.

“Anything you asked him to do, first word, he’ll do it.”

Father, Esrome Durrant, said that Lawson had started working some family lands and that he was happy for the assistance and that Lawson was going ahead with plans to farm the lands.

Durrant, who is based in the Grenadines, said that he could not understand what was the motive behind such a senseless killing.

“I would like to know what my son did to him for him to hate him that much,” he explained.

Elvis Antoine was charged with the murder of Lawson Matthews on Tuesday, May 18, and is being held on remand.