The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE family of Jamal Russell, whose body was found stuffed in a plastic storage bin at his home, is clueless as to why someone would kill the deaf man who “never bothered anyone”. 

Carlton Russell, of Lewis Yard, accompanied several family members to the hospital yesterday to officially identify his deceased brother, the youngest of 11 siblings. Jamal Russell was discovered dead Friday evening at his residence in Lewis Yard after family members had reported him missing to police. He was last seen by relatives on Wednesday.

Mr Russell, who lives just three houses down from his brother, said Jamal was a regular churchgoer and read his Bible daily. “He never bothered anyone, and we don’t know who or why someone would do that to him,” he said.  

According to Mr Russell, the family became concerned when they hadn’t heard from Jamal on Thursday.

“They were texting him all day Thursday; he can’t hear so they text him on his cellphone. My sister texted him that morning, but there was no response. Jamal always sends them inspiration every morning of a Bible quote and he didn’t do that on Thursday,” he said. 

Mr Russell said when relatives did not get a response from Jamal, they assumed he was out driving around because the vehicle he had rented was also gone.   

However, a representative of the car rental company went to the house looking for Jamal on Thursday because he had failed to return the rental car.

That’s when relatives realised something was wrong. 

“One of my nephews said something ain’t right because Jamal rented a car every month and would always turn the car in on time,” Mr Russell said. 

A relative —who lived in the same structure with Jamal — looked through the deceased’s house window and noticed that it was in disarray and decided to go to the police.  

Mr Russell said that was very unusual because Jamal was a very tidy person.  

“She said his clothes were all over the floor and that is not like him; he is very clean and cleans his room daily. She felt something was wrong and it is a good thing she did that. The police went through the window and discovered the body.” 

According to police reports, shortly after 6pm on Friday, February 14, officers conducting inquiries of a reported missing male in the Lewis Yard area discovered the lifeless body of a man at his residence. 

Supt Brian Rolle, the officer in charge of Central Detective Unit, reported that the victim, a man believed to be in his early 40’s who was last seen on Wednesday, was discovered stuffed inside a bin at his residence. 

He said foul play was suspected and that the incident was classified as a murder. It is the second for the year on Grand Bahama.  

ASP Terecita Pinder confirmed yesterday that people are being questioned in connection with the incident and that charges could be brought before the end of the week.   

Mr Russell said that a person or persons were allegedly found in the rented vehicle with all of Jamal’s possessions still inside the car. 

He said that his sister heard a car alarm go off sometime early Thursday morning and went to check, and saw a car pulling out of the yard when she turned the lights on. 

Mr Russell believes his brother’s killer was in the car. “They killed him and put his body in a plastic storage bin – the ones that Bahamians purchase in Walmart to pack things in when they travel.

“God is good. My brother is a nice person, he never bothered nobody and was always going to church, praying and reading his Bible, and that’s why it worked out, that is why the police solved this so quickly,” Mr Russell said.