Romaine Murray, an alleged high-ranking member of the Kings Valley Gang, was shot and killed by members of the constabulary force during an alleged confrontation in Westmoreland.
Murray, who was also known by the aliases Bartez or Forty Ball, was also allegedly connected to the Speculation Gang and allegedly coordinated the recent abduction of a woman. According to reports, the police were executing a search warrant at a residence in the Jerusalem Mountain area of Grange Hill at the time the incident occurred on Wednesday morning.
When the officers got to the two-apartment board house where the warrant was to be served, Murray reportedly fled the premises. After fleeing, he allegedly confronted the police, pointing his firearm at the officers.
The officers opened fire, and Murray was shot. He was later transported to the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital and pronounced dead. The Independent Commission of Investigations has launched an investigation into Murray’s death.
A police source of the Jamaica Observer reportedly described Murray as the most trusted trigger man in the Kings Valley Gang. Murray allegedly carried out orders issued by gang leader Derval ‘Lukie‘ Williams, who is currently incarcerated.
Murray is said to have handled the logistics behind many of the gang’s criminal acts, such as the aforementioned abduction of a teacher. Before his death, he had been named by the police as a person of interest in the May 8 incident.
Murray allegedly supplied firearms and ammunition to the men who carried out the act on behalf of Williams. During the police’s rescue operation, the teacher was saved unharmed, and two of Murray’s accomplices, 21-year-old Kevin Gordon and 27-year-old Christopher Williams, were killed at a premises in Hanover.
A third man, who police say fled during the rescue operation, was later shot and killed during a confrontation. Reports state that Murray, who had been charged with the 2024 murder of Devantae “Wacky” Brown, was out on bail.
In addition to Brown’s murder, Murray was also reportedly linked to at least four more murders and several shootings.
