Mad Max Murdered: Murder Number 3 :: The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer

The Federation has now recorded a third murder within the first 20 days of 2010 following the shooting death of a Newtown man on Wednesday.

The body of 29-year-old Maxwell "Mad Max" Chumney was discovered early Wednesday morning after an anonymous tip alerted police to his death. According to Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Vaughan Henderson, the person telephoned the Basseterre Police Station and said a body was inside a yard on West Street, Newtown.

"The person called in anonymously at about 7:10 am and said there appeared to be a body in a yard on West Street, which is a small road off Manchester Avenue. Police responded and found the body of Chumney in the yard. There was obvious trauma to the victim's head from what appeared to be a gunshot wound," Henderson told The Observer.

The PRO would not divulge how many times Chumney had been shot but unofficial sources put the number at no more than two.

Henderson further informed that investigations revealed persons living nearby the crime scene admitted they had heard what may have been gunshots at around 1 a.m. but he said no reports of that nature were made to police.

While at the scene, swarms of neighbours watched on as police combed the area and the young man's body was removed to a waiting hearse. Though most appeared somber, a few vocalized their disgust at the situation and offered theories as to what may have happened.

"Look how close all these yard be. You want to tell me Mad Max get shot up and nobody hear anything? That's impossible! Too much grudging going on around here in this neighborhood. The guy was a cool youth," one fellow told this media house. One woman was overheard saying her daughter had been up using the computer when they heard what sounded like gunshots and the girl fled to the safety of her mother's bedroom. A friend of the deceased who wished to remain anonymous told The Observer Chumney was not a "gun man" but was known to associate with 'gang members' who wore red.

Inspector Henderson said police have no suspects at this time but investigations would be ongoing. Chumney's is the first murder to have occurred on St. Kitts but he was the third young man to die in the Federation for the new year, the previous two having occurred on Nevis. On Jan. 1 at about 6 a.m. Keithson Stanley was killed on Craddock Road and on Jan. 7 Mc Knight native Kimmoy Powell was killed in Charlestown. All three died by the gun. 2009's homicide toll of 27 was a record high in recent history for the twin islands.