Aldith Townsend (left), daughter of Valdie Brown, who journeyed from Germany to be at the funeral service, could not contain her grief when the caskets bearing her mother, stepfather, brother and cousin were opened in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ocho Rios yesterday.
Some journeyed from the nearby parish of St Mary, to as far as Hanover in the west. Others flew in from the United States and Germany to pay their last respects to four persons whose savage murders last month shocked the nation and the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
The dead were wheeled inside the small Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ocho Rios yesterday in the same order in which they were viciously shot by Detective Corporal Wayne Llewellyn in Three Hills, St Mary, during a brutal attack on one family at their home on April 7.
The policeman got in a fit of rage over the break-up of his marriage to Joan Llewellyn, resulting in the death of her parents, brother and daughter. She was also shot but is being treated for her injuries in the United States.
First to enter the church were the remains of 72-year-old Valdie Brown, in a brown casket, then his wife 79-year-old Rachael in a pink casket, then 56-year-old Fitzroy 'John' Townsend in a dark blue casket followed by 17-year-old Jorgihan Flynn.
The grief on the faces of family members who sat for the most part in silence hours before the service began at 11:00 am and later staring at the four caskets, defied all words. Silent tears streaming down the cheeks of many or the occasional outbursts of a wail said it all.
Persons turned out from as early as 7 o'clock to be assured of a seat inside the church built to accommodate about 500 persons. The number of attendees was near 2,000. And as starting time drew closer, there was near chaos both inside and outside the church doors as persons pushed, stood on chairs and even cursed in an effort to get a glimpse of the bodies. Many complained that the church was just too small to accommodate the service.
A uniformed policeman squeezed his way through to the cheers of the congregation and attempted to bring order to the setting as persons hastened to view the dead.
The grief was overwhelming for Vivine Townsend, whose husband's body laid inches from her as she sat in the front row. She did not speak.
Her son 16-year-old Nicaldo Morris told the Observer that his mother was looking forward to the return of her husband who had gone to visit his parents. He was due home the day after he was shot.
Cynthia Townsend, sister of the deceased who journeyed from New Jersey for the occasion, said that she was angry with the way her brother died because she had not got a chance to see him in seven years and one man had taken that chance away from her.
One woman on the outside declared "Look weh one man cause -- bun dem fi bun him body. Him nuh deserve fi bury. Look deh! If they burying him dem fi bury him, pon him face! Can you believe it? One man cause all this!"
Students of both York Castle and Manchester High schools, both of which Flynn attend, were in attendance.
Flynn spent four years at York Castle, left for a year to attended Manchester High when her parents moved to that parish and was scheduled to rejoin her former school the Monday, following the gruesome Thursday on which she was killed.
"I remember this boy who had an appendix problem and could not walk. And even though Jay Jay had ruptured her spine in grade eight, she lifted up the boy and took him into the emergency room at the St Ann's Bay Hospital," her friend and schoolmate Kadesha Anderson recalled.
She admitted that as a close friend, Flynn had confided in her about problems she was having with her stepfather who murdered her.
Certified family life educator and counsellor with the SDA, Anthony Gordon appealed to the congregation in his address to seek professional intervention if ones family was undergoing problems.
"Whenever there is a family relational challenge, please do not sit with it. Get professional help," Gordon begged. "We are experiencing right now raw emotion. But those of us who are alive must continue to live. But it is the quality of the life we live that matters. Jesus Christ our Saviour assures us that he is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. Set your minds in anticipatory mode to the day when you will smile again," Gordon said.
Ian Bell, councillor of the Beecher Town division in the St Ann Parish Council, directed his speech to the commissioner of police, stating that the commissioner's request to take weapons away from police personnel who appeared to be stressed out, was not a solution to the problem.
"I would like to tell the commissioner to implement (prayer) services at every station at least once per week," Bell said. "What the force wants at this time is not to be disarmed. What the force needs now is Jesus," he said to loud shouts of 'Amen' from the congregation. "What every member of the force needs is to be a member of a church with Jesus Christ as Lord," Bell added.
International evangelist Pastor Glen Samuels, in the homily said that while life presents us with challenges, one has to be careful what his coping capacity is established on.
He challenged the congregation with the question 'Why does bad things happen to good people'?
"That is the question that is present in our minds this afternoon," he said. "Why do bad things happen to good people -- people like these."
He then told mourners that they needed four things in order to cope with such tragedies -- faith and trust in the God; an understanding that God is real and that he understands our grief and pain; to yield not to the spirit of vengeance; and to make a personal preparation for your souls.
Flynn was described as a young girl who wanted to be a prosecutor like her mentor, director of public prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn. She loved to write poetry, was very friendly and made friends very quickly. She was always smiling and loved to make others laugh. She would ensure that she put a smile on the faces of those feeling down. She loved music and loved to sing.
Darsette Benjamin, who resides in the United States, brought a message to the deceased child from her mother, who has since been paralysed from a single bullet fired from the weapon of her husband to her neck.
The message grew groans from many in the congregation.
"She wants me to tell Jay thanks for saving her life and for fighting for her (mother's) life and that she is alive today because of her."
Valdie Brown was described as a loving father and grandfather who spoilt his children, sneaking them candy when their mother was not looking. He loved music and loved to dance and would grab hold of his wife as she passed by and engage her in a dance. He also loved to cook, and listen to music.
Rachael Brown was described as kind and always reaching out to others. She was always sewing and giving persons something to laugh about. And when persons were fretful, she would always encourage them to 'stay on knee city' (pray). She too, the congregation was told, loved to cook, bake, sing and attend church. No stranger would visit her home and left hungry, the mourners heard.
Townsend was described as 'a quiet boy who bothered no one'. A friend to all his brothers and sisters and a jovial and loving father and husband. Townsend got baptised recently.
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