Killer in Lowe-Garwood murder case reportedly paid $170,000
Published:Tuesday | July 11, 2023 | 4:57 PM
The first witness at the trial of Javan Garwood for his stepmother's murder in a Trelawny church has told the court that the man who pulled the trigger, Dwight Bingham, told him he was paid $170,000 "to do a job".
The witness, Leon Hines, was the getaway driver in the murder and is serving a six-year sentence after pleading guilty for his part in the crime.
Bingham has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing for murder.
Hines told the Trelawny Circuit Court this afternoon, the series of activities leading up to the murder of Lowe-Garwood in the Agape Christian Fellowship Church on January 31, 2021.
Hines said on January 26, he got a Whatsapp message from Bingham saying that he got $170,000 to do a job.
"I thought that it was to do some construction work, because I knew that he was into construction work," he told the court.
"I rented a car on the 29th of January, 2021. I was approached by Prince (Bingham) to transport him to Falmouth on Sunday. At that time I did not know for what reason," he further told the court.
He said when he arrived at the church he parked in a lane beside the building.
"I saw Prince exit the car with a black pouch and a gun in his waist. Shortly after I heard five explosions and Prince walked out the church and instructed me to burn road. Shortly after he realised his phone was missing. He did not take up my offer to go back and look for the phone," Hines related.
On the journey back to Rose Heights in Montego Bay, Bingham reportedly tried to make several calls using Hines' phone.
''At one point he said, 'the one Janoy not answering his phone.'"
When asked to look around the court room to see if he could recognise 'Janoy', he pointed out Javan Garwood, who was sitting in the dock.
The trial will resume tomorrow.
- Leon Hines
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