Young man charged in Jamaican MP’s murder

Simeon Sutherland, 20
Simeon Sutherland, 20

(Jamaica Observer) The Portland man who was initially taken into custody and released in connection with the gruesome killing of Dr Lynvale Bloomfield was on Friday charged with murder after he was again called in for questioning.

Simeon Sutherland, 20, was charged by detectives from the Major Investigation Division after being questioned for several hours in the presence of his attorney Peter Champagnie.

Sutherland was detained last month as a person of interest in the Portland Eastern Member of Parliament’s murder, but was released. However, he was rearrested last week after scientific evidence allegedly linked him to the crime scene.

The police have reportedly been examining a series of messages between the suspect and Dr Bloomfield.

Sutherland is scheduled to appear in the Portland Parish Court next week.

The body of the Opposition People’s National Party parliamentarian was found in his house in Passley Gardens, Portland, with multiple stab wounds on February 2.

Sources close to the probe said that bloodstains were in sections of the house, as well as in the yard.

However, there was no word regarding whether or not anything was taken from the house, and his motor vehicles were said to be intact.