The Tribune

EXCLUSIVE By PAUL G TURNQUEST Chief Reporter pturnquest@tribunemedia.net SOURCES close to the family of Stephen Sherman, 47, have informed The Tribune that police now believe his murder was a professional hit. The sources said a number of people, including the suspected hitman, Sherman's wife, and her brother - who is a police officer at a station in the North-Eastern district - have been called in for questioning. According to well-placed sources, Sherman, who was the country's 18th murder victim for the year, had just returned to his home from picking up his niece when he was approached by the gunman, who ordered him out of his vehicle. The gunman, it is said, ordered Sherman to kneel before executing him. The gunman later escaped in a silver-coloured Honda with two other men. This car, it is said, had been sought by police in a number of armed robberies in the Eastern Road area. The following day, the vehicle was intercepted by police on the Eastern Road being driven by a young woman with the alleged gunman in the car. The police have reportedly determined that this young woman was not involved in any way with the robberies or Sherman's murder. However, after questioning it is understood that the gunman admitted he had been promised funds in return for his killing of the young Royal Bank of Canada account manager - to the tune of $30,000 to $40,000. Initially, it had been reported that Sherman was the victim of an armed robbery outside his Yamacraw home on Friday, February 17. When Sherman's body was identified by his wife and family outside of the morgue on Monday morning, his wife had to be whisked away by loved ones as she fought to compose herself. Sherman's brother, Greg, informed The Tribune at that time that his family was "heartbroken" and unable to come to terms with his death. "It hasn't hit us all yet. It's been really rough on his wife. What is even more distressing is that he leaves behind two young children, a 10-year-old boy and a daughter who is eight. They were his world. I don't think they can understand the magnitude of what has happened. "We are here for them, and my brothers and sisters will do whatever we can do to ease the burden on my brother's wife and kids. "My brother had a really big heart. He was a good person. He would take the shirt off his back for you and anyone else. This whole incident is very senseless to us. "What have we come to as a nation when we can't live together in peace as brothers and sisters? We just seem to be killing up each other. "There is no value on life anymore - $40 and a cell phone? Is that what my brother is worth? Something is seriously wrong with that," he said.