(Trinidad Express) Neighbours on Monday recalled the horror of seeing their neighbour’s seven-year-old daughter running towards them in a bloodstained nightdress just after her mother was murdered on Sunday night.
At that horrific scene 37-year-old Jamie Fitzworme was shot dead at a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) townhouse at Bellbird Avenue, Malabar. She shared the home with her husband of two years, Gregory Fitzworme, 40, and her two daughters from a previous relationship.
She was also the mother of three other girls.
A male relative of Jamie’s who is said to be in his 50s is currently being sought by the police for questioning in connection with the murder.
The Express was told by both the police and neighbours that Jamie and the man were to attend court on Monday morning on a matter.
The Express was told by the police that around 9.20 p.m. Jamie and her husband, Gregory were having dinner in the porch of their townhouse, having just returned to their home after visiting relatives.
As the couple were eating, and with Jamie’s two daughters inside, they noticed two men wearing overalls walking briskly towards them. As the men drew closer they each pulled out guns. Gregory then grabbed his wife and got her inside but while he was attempting to close the door the gunmen rushed forward and pushed against the door preventing him from closing it.
The two gunmen forced their way in and opened fire on the couple.
All the shots they fired at Gregory missed but Jamie was shot four times at close range and was killed on the spot.
The gunmen then calmly walked out the townhouse and escaped.
Jamie was very pretty
With Gregory apparently still in shock the elder of the woman’s two daughters ran out of the house and went to her neighbour’s, telling them what happened and they contacted the police. Her nightie had been stained with blood.
Attempts to interview the murdered woman’s family at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday were unsuccessful as the family stated they had no comment and quickly headed to their cars.
The Express then visited the Malabar neighbourhood.
The neighbours spoke and pointed out the couple’s town-house with a front door that appeared to have been smashed in.
They described both Jamie and Gregory as a nice couple but none wanted to be named . As they spoke an unmarked police vehicle kept circling the area.
“Jamie was very pretty and she was friendly anytime we met her,” said one woman.
“Every time they passed around they waved hello as everybody in this community does live nice,” she added.
As she continued speaking however she lowered her voice.
“But Jamie and (name called) had a bitter separation because at one time she was living with this man and what we understand is that he used to beat her,” she said.
They said he was an aggressive man that used to drink a lot.
They recalled that they themselves arrived at their home around 9.10 p.m. and minutes after they heard gunshots.
“This thing sounded loud so I remain inside frightened,” said the woman.
Children in the middle
Another man also spoke to the Express.
The man was not a neighbour of the couple but rather a contractor who was about to carry out work on the couple’s townhouse. He said a female relative of the man in question attempted to take the children to her home over the weekend but she was prevented from doing so by Jamie.
He said he could not understand why she and not the man came to get the children but apparently the arrangement had not been properly worked out and Jamie refused to hand them over.
Inspector Remy, Sergeant Katwaroo and Cpl Samaroo visited the scene.
A post-mortem which was done yesterday morning concluded that the mother of five died as a result of the gunshots she received.
Region Two Homicide Bureau officers are continuing investigations.
The murder toll for the year to date is 202 compared with 234 for the same period last year.