Update | Murder and robbery charges laid against two in death of inDriver/UTech engineering student

Murder and other charges have now been laid against the two people in custody in relation to the death of the man whose decomposing body was found in a canal in Hartlands, St Catherine in February.

Barbara Gardener and Kevin Austin, both of Manchester addresses, are already charged with larceny of a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property and were remanded when they appeared before the St Catherine Parish Court last month as part of the case involving the death of ride-share driver and University of Technology, Jamaica engineering student Michael Patterson.

At that time, a police investigator had indicated in court that a murder investigation was under way.

Following the probe, the police are now reporting that Gardener and Austin have been charged with murder, robbery with aggravation, possession of a prohibited weapon, unauthorised possession of ammunition, using a firearm to commit a felony, unauthorised access to computer data, and conspiracy to murder.

They were charged on Monday following a question-and-answer session conducted in the presence of their attorney.

The police indicated that Patterson, who lived in Ensom City in Spanish Town and also worked as a security guard, died from gunshot wounds.

According to the police, Patterson, otherwise called ‘Bupsie’, was last seen alive sometime after 10:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20.

Patterson was reportedly contracted to transport passengers to the Hartland district on the outskirts of Spanish Town.

When he failed to return home, a missing person report was filed at the Spanish Town Police Station, prompting detectives to launch an investigation into his disappearance.

Tragedy unfolded on Monday, February 23, when Patterson’s body was discovered about 12:30 p.m. in the Hartlands area.

The body was found in an early state of decomposition in a canal.

Hours later, at approximately 3:00 p.m. the same day, a major break in the case came when Patterson’s motor car was intercepted by police in Manchester.

Two individuals found in the vehicle were taken into custody and subsequently charged.

The police say the probe into the matter deepened, spanning across three parishes, ultimately gathering sufficient evidence to bring more serious charges against the two.

“As a result of intensive investigation, they were later charged with larceny of the motor vehicle and receiving stolen property,” head of the St Catherine North Police Division, Senior Superintendent Hopeton Nicholson, told reporters today.

A post-mortem examination conducted weeks later confirmed that Patterson died from gunshot wounds to the chest and upper body, it was revealed.

Nicholson further revealed that investigators relied heavily on technology to solve what he described as a complex case, noting that Patterson’s bank card was used by the alleged perpetrators to withdraw money, an action he said that helped police track and build their case.

He added that the incident has once again highlighted the dangers faced by ride-share operators and the importance of public vigilance in assisting law enforcement.

“We just want to implore the general citizenry that if you see something suspicious in your community, please communicate with the police.”

- Ruddy Matthison. Rasbert Turner contributed to this story.

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