Lynch murder not part of ‘42/Parkside tit for tat’ violence

 

Innocent family man George Lynch’s murder stunned Bermuda but those who carried it out are still at large. The 40-year-old, whose wife was expecting their third child, was gunned down on May 5, 2010, as he stood outside a friend’s Hamilton Parish home. The friend, fellow Jamaican Philmore Phinn, had given evidence just days before in the Supreme Court trial of six men accused of a mob attack on Temasgan Furbert at the same property. Mr Lynch was killed with a single bullet to the chest hours after a Supreme Court jury found three men guilty of the attack and cleared a fourth. The jury was still deliberating the fate of the two other defendants as the murder at Midland Heights Crescent took place. Detectives say Mr Lynch, who worked in King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s environmental services department, “died for no reason” and admit his murder has proved a “very difficult case to investigate”. Though they have arrested three men and recovered the .45 calibre gun used to slay Mr Lynch, they have yet to charge anyone. Detective Inspector Michael Redfern, who is leading the murder investigation, told The Royal Gazette: “Mr Lynch was an innocent member of the public. He was not affiliated to any gangs or anything like that. “Was it a case of mistaken identity? Yes, I do believe it was.” The victim was standing alone outside Mr Phinn’s house when two masked assailants rode up on a motorcycle and took aim. Detective Chief Inspector Nicholas Pedro said it wasn’t certain whether or not Mr Phinn, brother-in-law of Mr Furbert, was the actual target or “whether it was meant as a message to that family or a particular member of that family”. He added: “It’s fair to say that Mr Phinn had given evidence at a trial but so had other people from that same household. It’s difficult to say who was the actual target. “The main fact of this case is that an innocent man lost his life. Mr Lynch had absolutely nothing to do with any gangs or crime. The Phinns and the Furberts, they are innocent as well. “Mr Lynch merely happened upon the scene. He died for no reason. He was in no way connected with the court case that preceded it, if indeed the court case was the catalyst for the shooting. I’m not saying it is; I’m keeping an open mind.” The six men accused of the masked mob attack on Mr Furbert were all from St George’s: Kyle Williams Tannock, Bennett Phipps, Kiwaun Gilbert, Kaiwan Trott, Detroy Smith Jr and Allan Douglas Jr. Tannock, Phipps and Gilbert were found guilty of wounding with intent to do bodily harm and jailed, while Mr Trott was cleared of the attack. The jury reached hung verdicts on Mr Smith Jr and Mr Douglas Jr on May 5 but acquitted them the next day after being sent to a hotel overnight and knowing nothing of Mr Lynch’s murder. Mr Smith Jr and Mr Douglas Jr were arrested on suspicion of Mr Lynch’s murder as they walked free from Supreme Court on May 6 and later bailed pending further inquiries. A third man was later arrested and also bailed. Det Ch Insp Pedro said the murder fell outside the “42/Parkside tit for tat” gang violence which is to blame for many of the 16 gun murders committed since May 2009. “There are people out there that know who killed Mr Lynch and I would hope that they have a conscience and that they don’t allow this innocent man’s death to go undetected,” he said. “The investigation remains open.” Det Insp Redfern added: “This has been a very difficult case to investigate. Certain forensic evidence has been recovered at the scene and we have two witnesses.” He said police could solve the crime but needed the help of householders in the area who saw anything unusual on the evening of May 5, 2010.