The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A LANDLORD’S attempt to collect months of unpaid rent turned deadly when he was allegedly stabbed to death by a tenant on Saturday, according to his family.

The Tribune visited Jeffery Burrows’ home, where he lived with his teenage son, with a section of the property rented to three tenants.

Emotions ran high as family members argued over ownership of the property now that Mr Burrows is dead. Some relatives insisted it was not the time to discuss property rights given the tragic circumstances. At one point, police officers arrived to help calm the situation.

Mr Burrows’s sister, Denise Burrows, described him as helpful, quiet, and hardworking. She learned of his death through a family member, calling the news shocking as her brother was known to be unproblematic.

According to police reports, Mr Burrows, 57, was found unresponsive inside his Huyler Street home shortly before 1am, with a stab wound to his upper body. Around 9pm on Saturday, the victim was overheard arguing with a male known to him, which escalated into a physical altercation. Emergency Medical Services attended the scene, but found no vital life signs.

Family members say Mr Burrows had asked a tenant, who owed him months of rent, to pay. Describing Mr Burrows as a gentle spirit, they doubted he had escalated the dispute.

The property originally belonged to Mr Burrows’s late mother, and he had maintained it for years, renting part of the home. Now that he has passed, only three siblings survive him.

One of Mr Burrows’s brothers was outside the home with a suitcase, claiming ownership of the property. Some family members attempted to calm him, while others supported Ms Burrows, whom they believe is the rightful owner.

A family member shouted: “Jeffery just died, and y’all are fighting over property. What is wrong with y’all?”

A woman, an apparent friend of Mr Burrows, was overheard on the phone saying she anticipated major conflict over the property after his death.

The homicide brings the country’s murder count to 108, according to The Tribune’s records.

On Friday, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe expressed concern over conflict resolution issues, noting a trend of domestic disputes in the country.