Man Charged for Double Murder in St. Elizabeth

A man is in custody and has been charged for the April 13 double murder of two men in St. Elizabeth. He has been charged with shooting with intent, robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and conspiracy.

The St. Elizabeth detectives have charged a 37-year-old farmer of Brompton District, Carlos Beckford, for the murder of two me. Dead is 39-year-old mason of Smith Field District, Mickel James, and 51-year-old farmer of Smoothland District, Courtney Smith.

Mickel James was a member of a search team who caught up with the gunmen and they shot and killed him. Courtney Smith was robbed of his cell phone and then shot dead. Both men were murdered in separate incidents on Wednesday, April 13 between 5:00 a.m. and 5:40 am at New Malvern and the Ivory Cottage main road, respectively, in the Malvern Police Area.

Beckford was taken into custody after a grey Toyota Noah Motorcar which he was driving and in which the gunmen had also travelled to commit a break-in and larceny in the Hampton Area, was intercepted by the police.

According to reports, Beckford gave a caution statement admitting to transporting the men and was in the process of transporting them away but allowed the culprits to flee due to the roadblocks that were mounted by the police and residents. He was also interviewed in the presence of his attorney after which he was charged.

It is understood the cellphone that belonged to now-deceased Courtney Smith was found in the vehicle that Beckford was driving. In addition to the murders, Beckford was charged with shooting with intent, robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and conspiracy.

The items stolen in the break-in include 3 poker boxes, an assortment of top-shelf liquors, and cash all to the tune of approximately $2m. The poker boxes were found in bushes. Beckford is to appear in the St. Elizabeth parish court on Wednesday, April 27.