Ex-prison officer murdered in ‘numbers’ shop robbery
(CNS): Police are urging members of the public to help them find the two murder suspects caught on CCTV leaving a small business unit at 190 School Road on Monday night. Officers believe that Harry Wenworth Elliott (62), a former prison supervisor, was gunned down on the premises, which is a well-known ‘numbers’ spot, in a robbery gone wrong. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said investigators are struggling to get people to come forward, but he stressed that they are not investigating illegal gambling but a murder case.
Byrne made a witness appeal on Tuesday evening at a press conference at the police headquarters. Despite the worrying spike in gun-related crime since the start of 2022, he tried to reassure the community that it has largely been committed by a small group of men who are known to the police.
He said that this group appears to be coordinating the recent spate of robberies, which have a number of commonalities. The commissioner said that if the police can break this criminal gang of around six men, they can put an end to this concerning spike in violence.
In this case, CCTV recorded the two gunmen entering the premises shortly behind the victim. About six minutes later they both emerged from the unit, running toward McField Square. Shortly afterwards, a 911 call was made reporting gunshots, and within minutes the armed police were on the scene, where they found Elliott’s body just inside the doorway of the premises.
While the victim’s personal possessions do not appear to have been taken, police are not yet sure if any money was taken from anyone at the premises at the time. However, investigators suspect that this robbery did not go as planned and the men had fled empty-handed after killing Elliott.
Other people were inside the building at the time, and Byrne said that, given Elliott’s former profession, the police have not ruled out the possibility that he was targetted, but there is nothing to substantiate the idea that his previous job was the motive for this murder. He said the likelihood is that these men were intending to rob the premises.
The commissioner urged the community to help the police and come forward with any information that they might have. The area where this happened is a busy part of George Town and there were several people in the area at the time of the fatal shooting, he said. However, police officers are having real trouble getting people to say anything about what happened.
“We need to get the community working with us,” Byrne said, adding that people should not give safe cover or harbour these men that are endangering the community. He said that while the premises was known to the polcie as a suspected gambling den, their focus is purely on the murder investigation and people coming forward need not be concerned over why they were there.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
You had a tough police chief who even intervened himself in a crime in progress – Dave Baines. Then you complained about him and got rid of him 🤷♀️ Which way do you want it?
We want all laws enforced. All day. Every day. If that becomes to much for us to handle, we can change the law. Until we change the law, we want the police to apply it. Why is this so hard?
@ Anon 28/04/2022 at 11:31 am – the people didn’t get rid of him, it was the damn government! If the people had their way he’d be running the country now.
Baines got rid of himself because he was unable to do his job due to his own failures as a leader. He was a nice man but his arrogance destroyed his credibility and he was not man enough to apologize to the public and the RCIPS, so he ran away.
Back in the 90’s there was a spike in violent crime from so called “gangs” on island. CIG brought in law enforcement officers from the UK for a few weeks, rounded up the those involved, and that was the end of that.
I don’t care if CIG has to covertly hire law enforcement from abroad, but this has to stop now. I’ve been here 45 years. I’m 4th gen Caymanian. This is the first time that I’m actually afraid to go to local bars on a Friday night. We shouldn’t be afraid of criminals in this little country. And if I’m afraid, I guarantee that the expats and tourists must be afraid too. And if they’re afraid, you can kiss our little golden goose of an island goodbye. CIG, end this. Now.
What a fantastic story! The so-called UK enforcement officers never left the police station unless they were going to the beach. They played no role in the rounding up. It is the people you love to hate that did the job, but only because they were allowed to do it. UK enforcement officers! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
So so true!
Really and truly that Commissioner of police need to go. He has a problem of hiring Caymanian officer in their own country because we all know one another. But he doesn’t have a problem hiring this load of Jamaican officers who also know one another and who would give a bligh to one of their own before a Caymanian would give it to one of theirs. I know personally that he was told about a numbers hot spot in West Bay and he did nothing about it. I have never seen so much vehicles on our roads in the night as I see now with just one working headlight. Even the police when they are turning or so forth do not even use an indicator. They are all there just for the CI dollar. Just like in everything else here. It is all so sad what our country is coming to!
Yet this commissioner hired more locals than any other before him.
Harry was a nice man. Most evenings he could be seen walking on the Middle School (now John gray) track. I would often engage in short conversations with him while walking.
My hear goes out to his family. This senseless killing of a good person angers me. I have walked out of that same barber shop door many a time. Who’s next?!
I will miss seeing you around Junior. RIP
Catch those bast*%^ds!!
Why wont they send out the cctv footage to the public.i am a cctv photo analist perfessionlistthat will crack any photos of individuals by body languages of movements
.test me for best results.
Do you spell check much?
The government should offer me a job as a CCTV analist to crack some of these cases open .with my professional experience of body language and movements. I can identyfy any indiviual that are posted on any cctv footage
First you need to learn how to spell analyst then may you can identify other individuals. In fact you better get hooked on Phonics:)
buddy can’t even ‘identyfy’ his own errors with spell check on.
Not nice
Now that is funny. Agreed they are not making a good first impression. Also, if you are soliciting employment via anonymous posts, that points to a troubling misunderstanding of reality.
Not helpful. You lack class
Remember he has to be trained in the law of evidence before he can get the job to testify to his competence. He will have to satisfy the court with his qualifications, and his work experience. Anybody can write on CNS, but is he willing to be a trained officer? Outside of this, the expert evidence will have to be turned in to the Scenes of the Crime Department, and a trained S.C.O. will give it in court. He will then be called only as a civilian witness to be examined and prosecuting attorney for the Crown, and be cross-examined by the Defense.
I was a CCTV analist once, but then I got arrested for voyeurism.
Continue to blame the police and ask them solve the social problems; meanwhile feral youths are on the rise, with no parental guidance. deadbeat dads continue to spread their Loin and the streets are welcoming them with open arms. Stop blaming Jamaicans and other nationalities for our own misgivings and look in the mirror, perhaps then we may accept where the root problem lay and hopefully fix it. I’m thankful I had great parents; it’s where it all starts.
Before you Start with your who not to blame little tirade can I ask you one question.Who runs that barber shop ?? Who now runs our police, courts and prison who brings drugs and guns here on illegal boats who has the highest murder rate in the Caribbean? who exports their violent behaviour no matter where they go ??
So so true!
Many of them have brought with them the incredibly low standards of their homelands and are destroying Cayman.
McKeewa?
Children having children. Unwanted pregnancies become neglected children who become delinquent teenagers who become criminals as adults.
Legalise abortion and solve this issue in a generation.
Even if you legalised abortion, I don’t know that that would solve it as you say. I’m certain that an abortion would costs thousands that would be money that they do not have. Probably an easier solution for your suggestion would be to provide birth control for free. No accidental pregnancies in the first place.
Although, personally, I still think it is a bit of an oversimplified response. There are many parts that would need to happen including lifting people out of poverty and realising there are better options. A friend of mine keeps saying a rising tide gathers all ships. If we all look at how to help everyone then all of us can prosper. Now that is really a move for the government. Let’s rise the tide.
Birth control been free from the 1980’s hasn’t helped.
How about we start with enforcing the Maintenance Act? Something the AG appears to refuse to do.
How about better schools and less immigrants instead of legalising arobortion. Is this a joke? You want to bring this united states liberal garbage to our Christian island?
@27/04/22 at 6:44 pm, Who do you think are creating these “feral youths”? Jamaican men have been breeding their way into Cayman for decades. They prey on the young and ignorant. They prey on women with low self-esteem. They pour on the sweet talk to any woman that will listen, knock them up, then bingo! They have “pickney dem” in Cayman forever so CIG can’t make them leave. They make no effort to support these children or their mothers. The mothers have ruined any chance they might have had at higher learning or a good paying career because they have become mothers at a very young age. The kid gets neglected and turns to streets. Copy and repeat, over and over again.
Caymanian women need to try having higher expectations for themselves and, for that matter, better taste in men.
This Anti-Jamaican sentiment is part of the problem. If all Cayamaians had better parents, better home lives, less self-hatred, and less entitlement mentality, there would be far less crime.
The first step is to acknowledge the problem. It is directly related to the Caribbeanization of Cayman. We need to face that fact. As we emulate our neighbors, we become more and more like them. We need to stop it. NOW!
Your statement is divisive and one-sided. It is also hateful. It was made without considering the main issues of society and sexism for the women of whom you speak Do you want a dictatorship regime in Cayman to tell women who they should marry? Are all of your countrymen and women any better than the Jamaicans you are castigating? Why don’t you put your hat in the ring and start remedying some of the ills of which you speak? It is a free website. So, anyone can post this kind of tirade without any consequence
Sorry folks we are still the best place in the world.
first murder for 2022 in April. and a lot of petty crime.
What we need to sort out is that financial and property money laundering crime. Thats where murder is.
I can’t see why who was in that so called barbershop can’t tell the police what occurred
Maybe they did. Most of the time the police don’t want you to know about it.
They probably did. It seems that the police do not want the public to know what really happened.
I couldn’t disagree more. Get your head out of the sand. Basic safety is crucial to everything on this rock, and the direction is not positive.
“. . .a small group of men that are well known to police.” Just a suggestion to the police. Start with gathering information from this group of men. Or maybe, that is too much work for those that are paid well to serve and protect us.
Remember trainergate? You can literally hand them photographs and names and they are incapable of breaking the case.
They are even telling us the location is a well known numbers spot. They knew it. They allowed it. They are complicit in law breaking. WE PAY THEM TO ENFORCE ALL LAWS. Where is the disconnect?
How long is it going to take them to determine whether the pile of soil in Northside was stolen?
I’ve said this for over 40 yrs stop hiring the police from Jamaica or other islands. Hire well train Police Officers whether from the States or UK (pay them respectfully) and let them clean up the streets. Unfortunately, this island is too small to have these issues and it does not help when the Police state “they are known to them”. Our judicial system needs to be tougher and we need to deport with finger printing, photo identification etc. so that or those particular criminals do not set foot on this island again! If they are local then throw the key away or send them to hell (build our own Alcatraz on Swan Island).
@3:47 pm
I’ve said it too!
Yes. No one from the governor to the judges to the prosecutors to the police commissioner to the cops on the beat has the energy or inclination to do anything serious to reduce the rampant crime around us. It’s a clown show at every level. The sad thing is that there is absolutely nothing the voters can do about any of these “officials”. They are all completely outside of any sort of control by the people of these islands or their elected representatives. That’s just the way things were designed to be.
Since the robbers left empty handed I can think of no other reason to execute Harry than the fact that he could identify them probably due to a prior prison stay.
I was passing by in a vehicle and i observed a certain individual at around 7:50pm standing by the door of the restaurant observing the vie of the barbershop before the incident accured .i think he new that the crime was about to go down .i think he new the guys were .
I hope others who are afraid to speak to police will also put their tips here.
Big problem common sense is not common more, from the M P’s down.
People in the community need to start turning in the criminals. The RCIP can’t be everywhere , especially before the crime even happens. When the community doesn’t turn in who is involved, they are just letting it continue.
You want to know who is involved? THE FREAKING POLICE! Not directly in the heinous murder but in the ongoing near absolute failure and even refusal to consistently and robustly enforce laws. Any of them! Criminals laugh at them. Polite society now treats them with disdain. Sandra Catron stands a better chance at solving anything than the people we pay millions to.
“A known numbers shop”. Says it all.
Must be nice to make that statement from your gated, fenced off community with double locks, cameras and a handy Filipino Gentleman to take the knife before they get to you.
Odds that they are ex-cons that he recognised?
People are towing trailers that don’t have brake lights and the TOP COP doesn’t enforce the LAW he also don’t care if you don’t use your indicators he wait until something happens puts his officers out there for a day or two then everything goes back to lawlessness please step aside you can keep us safe.
Troll. Again repeating your same message.
CAYMAN TOP COP CANT HANDEL THE JOB HE NEEDS TO RETIRE ASAP he has not proven that he is a tuff cop it’s clear to see. why is cayman wasting money on bad performance.
Troll, repeating your message.
Some things are worth repeating.
To those bashing the police, especially police officers, who are from Jamaican. Look at the statistics/facts and you will see that over the years and up to the present several of our own locally grown and generational criminals and yes also Jamaicans have been successfully investigated, prosecuted and convicted by those same officers that you have such vitriol and hate for along with their Caymanian counterparts and others from the region but I’m sure that your hate is fueled by your xenophobia and a mentality still grounded in colonialism.
ANd let me be clear I don’t condone worngdoing by any nationalities, inlduing Jamicans and I have also advocated that we respect teh laws and culture of our adopted home!
A swallow does not a summer make. The coppers from Jamrock can do a completely terrible job whilst at the same time solving some crimes.
Our problem is this, they don’t do enough, to a high enough standard. We should import 500+ police officers from the UK on rotating contracts for a year or two. Their job is to clamp down relentlessly, without fear of the locals.
If you don’t have to live in the area you police, then you can afford to start cracking skulls and kicking doors down without risk of some first generation Caymanian (read: Honduran or Jamaican) threatening to torch your house or stab you if he sees you in Chicken Chicken.
Pretty simple.
“The commissioner said that if the police can break this criminal gang of around six men, they can put an end to this concerning spike in violence.”
I don’t believe it. RCIPS is full of Sh**t and have no idea how to do their job.
When the majority JA police force can bust a cock fight in the bowels of east end but allow open air criminality up an down eastern avenue and Shedden road, i think we all know why. They will bust up anything Caymanians are perceived to be behind, look at all the 20 year old cars driving around that CANT even be licensed driven by 85% Jamaicans on the road everyday.
Now i stand with my JA peeps who are just trying to earn a living and should be giving a little lee way, but whats going on in Cayman pertaining to arrest for miniscule things like tint and herb smoking is 85% Caymanian. Its possible to conceive we are the main targets of the RCIPs
And what if these scumbags are the same ones that were recently let go, they are going after them because they are Caymanians or never have enough evidence to hold them because they are Caymanians…
They hardly busted a cock fight. If they were serious they would have arrested everyone there – especially after the crowd started to threaten the police. Instead they just left. They are a joke. They are directly complicit in our descent into lawlessness.
I know a number of British police officers (serving and retired) who went to work for RCIPs, they seemed to last about a year on average! Police work in the U.K. is no picnic, either.
Very relieved to see a cop walking the beat Friday night in… Camana Bay!
Not to forget about the daily speeding, poor ignorant, moronic driving. Accidents that are mostly caused by that nation of people!
Expecting Jamaican police to catch killers who are most likely their brethren will not happen. They can hardly complete a report. Why do you think most cases get thrown out of court?
This is first-hand knowledge and not speculation!
The public has been crying out for years to get rid of Jamaican police and replace them with another nationality but no one is listening.
I wonder why?
Caymanians, complain about any nationality, working force but who do you think brings the Jamaicans? Hondurans, Cubans? To take away your jobs, because unna don’t want to stand firm and do something fa ya country. So, why to criticized when is your own people doing more harm than good to this Country, importing people. Caymanians don’t even know if they are Caymanians anymore, they are the ones to blame and allowing everyone who comes here to tell you how to live and run your own home, and the ones in power, got what they want so who cares. Mediocracy is what taking this paradise away. Blame yourselves no the people that you all let in..End of the story.
I will tell you why we have Jamaican police because not many caymanians want the job and the main reason is because they dont want to have to confront their family members.
So why not Swiss, Singaporean or British police?
8.46am We need to replace them with Caymanians but they don’t want the job – I wonder why?
In the United States where Police are professional,They don’t drive around intimidating the public they stay stationed at business.
What on earth are you slavering about?
Police in the US are probably among the most UNprofessional, but that’s not the point of this.
not true. in SWFL most crimes are solved very fast.
You are so ignorant with that comment.
And they can swim.
Professional!!! US Police Officers? They shoot people in the back because they are often so fat and unfit, they couldn’t chase a one legged chicken!!
Patrolling the streets and investigating crimes- two different functions. Investigators work pretty fast and effectively.
Have you seen the size of some officers here, beyond unfit.
As an American, you clearly are not familiar with small town US police. Intimation is a profound problem, especially if you are not a middle-aged, older white male.
1.23pm Am I the only one that’s left scratching my head at the word “intimation”?. Could you possibly be referring to intimidation?.
Please stop watching MSNBC.
It is the Police that create distrust from their daily actions, and then say trust us when they need help. This starts at the top, if your officers cant trust you the public wont.
Release the CCTV! What good is holding RCIPS holding on to this information going to do? At least if people see the footage – they may recognize something unique or identifying that could help to catch the culprits.
RIP to Mr. Elliot. Severely tragic outcome for him and his loved ones. Let’s honour him by catching this vile set of scum!
All these complaints about the police but it’s our own doing the crime. Until the “informer if dead” mindset changes, and it won’t, nothing will happen!
Where are the offers for rewards from the business community? I’ve seen rewards offered for less ?
Ummm, I have personal experience with the police releasing details of an informant to criminals. The problem is of their own making, and they have refused to hold accountable those responsible. We do not trust them. They even withhold CCTV footage and refuse to act when we send them videos of crimes happening. They can go and screw themselves.
Agreed. I’ve reported a robbery and not one officer came to the site.. i made the report over the phone and have yet for any one to come and get a statement or camera footage from neighboring properties. Better yet I have yet to see any police patrol the area. So, what is the point of providing the police with information if they do nothing with it and can’t even show up.
Do you think part of it is because the police are afraid?
Two suggestions for our Government that seems so awash in cash and busy worrying about face masks.
1. Offer a $100k reward for information that leads to the capture and conviction of these scum of the earth!
2. Amend our freaking gun law and arm robbery laws to life in prison for first offense!
And great job on softening our gun laws from 20 years mandatory sentence, to giving judges discretion, where some convicts are now only serving 7 years for illegal gun possession. That didn’t help society did it? SMH.
A few days in prison is not a deterrent for crime……. but you can bet your sweet azz that the death penalty for carrying an illegal firearm would make a big difference.
and the death penalty for drunk driving? kills more people than guns do
Why not? It would save lives.
Crime situation still stable, Commissioner ?
It never was. He was either oblivious or inept.
Both?
Unfortunately he has to rely almost entirely on West Indian policemen – he cannot work miracles.
He can recruit from wherever he wishes.
Where is the CCTV footage? Release some pictures at least
Renato Adams, BS JAMAICA HAS KILLINGS EVERY DAY??
A dubious start to me: how does police know that they are gunMEN??
It was a crime of passion!!
female
You piece of shit! How f&$king dare you.
I don’t agree with 11:43, but your reply is not helpful.
Agreed. A very impassioned reply to say the least.
LMFAO lay off all the true crime series on netflix
you have no clue what youre saying
If they were caught on CCTV, where is it? Should it not be in this article for us all to see it and try to identify them?
“Trouble in the Streets”
The soft sounds of evening can no longer be heard
and as dusk descends … fear is the word
as the screech owl utters a chilling cry
the people are left to wonder why
trouble in the streets…trouble in the streets
trouble in the streets is the warning cry
From an upcoming work by the same title.
Those who previously had opportunity to enact meaningful change failed, some likely even exacerbated.
Rest in peace Mr.Elliot..My Condolences to the family🙏🏽
May Justice be swift an harsh for those involved!!
In your upcoming book, does it mention which former Education Minister pushed for the “Caribbeanizastion” of our islands?
And with it the destruction of our education system, the integration of our schools, and the ability of our children to compete in our sophisticated service based economy.
Give info to Crime stoppers, these scumbags will think they are invincible if not caught.
We have hard working police officers with a policing system designed for 1980s London and this is the detriment of policing in the Cayman Islands.
While there are a considerable number of hardcore individuals in the Cayman Islands.
Around 8 robberies,1 shooting and 1 murder has happened in a month and no strategy changes are evident.
Pressure needs to be put on people suspected of being at the caliber of these types of incidents. People with illegal guns, people who do robberies, stop search everyone who is suspected of conection who enters a public place.
The people of this country need to stop complaining when criminality is challenged it is the reason why policing here is so soft and considerate about how they feel.
People complain about getting a tint ticket or having a roadblock. How do you expect to prevent crime when people who shoot people have dark tint too and its a reason to stop them. Some of the best arrests come from running a stop sign or trivial matters which give reason to stop a driver and smell drugs or run a dog on the car and find cash and guns.
Stop being the issue and allow proper enforcement in the Cayman Islands.
10.01pm I have to agree with your comment about shooters and “dark tint”.
I fully agree with your thoughts, but when CIG protects a minister who assaults a woman ON CAMERA and faced the minimal hand slap, that says where Cayman’s ethics is directed.
Horrible news! RIP Mr. Elliot. Condolences to family.
Cayman likes criminals, remember when that man caught that criminal stealing his music instruments and beat him up , he was arrested for using excessive force. He should been given a medal.
Renato Adams? Why not Derek Haines and some of his retired team? At least as advisers? I bet Mac (among others) would love to get back out there and kick some ass!
Rip Junior. Very sad.
Jamacia again
The police in this little country are the most inept I have ever known of.
The Cayman courts courts are also the most inept I have ever known. of.
And the Cayman government fits right in there too.
Sad, ain’t it?
9.19pm So you would have us rename our country as the Ineptman Islands?.
Yes
These lazy cowards have killed a good man. I am dumbfounded how punks like this live with themselves.
A well known numbers establishment that COP has done nothing about, but now needs the community to come forward now that a family has lost a member of there family. This guy needs to go.
Almost all the top brass, and most of the constables, must go. Their tolerance of open criminality is our undoing. We need to look to Singapore for the model of effective policing. Our current police have clearly now become part of the problem. They are next to complicit. Be careful Cayman. 1962 Jamaica was one of the safest countries in the world. By 2012, one of the very most dangerous. There is no room or time for complacency.
Cayman supports crime, remember when that man caught a thief stealing his music instruments from his truck and beat him up, he was arrested and charged with using too much force and the thief went free. Remember as the old saying says if one steals he will kill
Nothing done on the known premises because they are fighting over annual leave. Give Caesar what is due to caesar and get back to work!
If you know who they are Mr. Byrne then do something?
.
Bring Renato Adams over from Jam with 10 of his former colleagues to work completely separately from our own FRU. Give them a 2 month contract and we will have zero gun wielding scumbags on our streets. Scumbags who murder people for a few dollars. These scum understand nothing but violence, drugs and not getting out of bed before noon. Worthless predators that we do not need or want in our community.
Mr Adams would put manners on them all.
This have been the second or third article now that I’ve seen Renato Adam’s name pop up and I had to search him up from the first time I seen it and honestly Crime would be ridden of!! without a doubt. He can start in George Town and save the best for last ‘West Bay’. Although he getting up their in age, I think he still got some justice left to serve.
Did Renato Adams rid Jamaica of its gun crimes?? I didn’t think so.
No thank you to Adams. We have a good police force who repeatedly take out the bad guys.
The punks who committed this senseless act of violence will soon be in the maximum security wing at northward crying for their mama
No. These punks, if caught, will be enjoying life inside a country club prison and might get release visiting privileges too. Remove them from society forever and throw away the key. Don’t allow judges to play patty cake due to their liberal feelings.
Renato Adams could not solve the crime problem in his country so how do you expect him to solve it here, especially where extra judicial killings and and rule of law are SOPs for law enforcement.
Moreover, that’s the mentality that we don’t need. Maybe start respecting the rule of law might be a good start!
The peeps are known to the police – that old refrain; doesn’t answer the question as to how if you know who did it have you not managed to arrest them- for something at least? I struggle to believe that criminals prepared to use firearms aren’t committing a whole bunch of other offences. Why aren’t they pulled over every time they get in a car? Why don’t you have them under surveillance 24/7? Oh that’s right – concerned about their civil rights. Get some pointers from Derek Haines on how you restore the balance of power and authority with known perps.
All great questions that will never get the right answers/ actioned because the people in this world is just so retarded and twisted. Justice will only be served once in a blue moon.
Numbers more deadly than Covid.
Ha! especially where your number don’t play
Imagine that 🤔💭