Florida massacre

Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer

Local family members of 41-year-old Patrick Dell, a Jamaican in Riviera Beach, Florida, who murdered his estranged wife, Natasha Whyte-Dell, and four of his stepchildren, before turning the gun on himself, have been left in a state of shock.

The grieving relatives, who spoke with The Gleaner yesterday from Prospect Land Settlement in Portland, said they were deeply saddened and traumatised by the incident.

Dell's brother, who asked that he only be identified as McFarlane, said the news of Monday's murder-suicide was taking a toll on the family.

Dell's mother, who gave her name as Miss Lucy, was too distraught to speak and asked McFarlane to take over from her.

"The family is now going through a crisis, and everyone is in shock at this time. We never expected to receive any such news involving my brother, and it is rather difficult for us at this time," he said. "Maybe at a later date, when we have recovered from this tragic news, we might be able to speak about it."

According to The Palm Beach Post in Florida, the incident was the worst mass murder-suicide in Palm Beach County's history.

The report stated that the couple got married in 2006 and started having marital troubles shortly afterwards.

Whyte-Dell filed for divorce three times between 2007 and 2008 but voluntarily dismissed each case. Their relationship deteriorated until December 2009, when Whyte-Dell told police Dell attacked her with a knife.

In an affidavit for his 2009 arrest, a Riviera Beach police officer stated that Dell, who suspected his wife of cheating, brandished a knife and charged Whyte-Dell and another woman outside the woman's house. The two women ran inside but could hear him screaming through the door.

The affidavit stated that he called out: "Your family is going to cry today. You will be going to the morgue."

On Monday, Dell shot and killed Whyte-Dell and her children, Daniel Barnett, 10; Jevon Nelson, 11; Diane Barnett, 13; and Bryan Barnett, 14.

Another of Whyte-Dell's children, Ryan Barnett, 15, was injured and hospitalised.

Dell, who left Jamaica for the United States several years ago, once operated a stall at the Musgrave Market in Port Antonio from which he sold shoes.

Market vendors are also having a hard time coming to grips with the news of the murder-suicide.

"He was a hard worker," said a vendor at the Musgrave Market, who gave his name only as Chucky. "I just can't believe what they said he did. Everybody knew him. He was friendly, and he was doing quite well here before he left to go to foreign."

Seven children were inside the home early Monday when Dell shot his 36-year-old wife.

Police say the couple's two biological children were unharmed and were with relatives.

Suspicious vehicle

According to reports, a police officer was checking a suspicious vehicle when he heard what sounded like muffled gunshots. When officers approached the home, Dell went outside and shot himself. He died at the scene.

Whyte-Dell's brother, Rohan Whyte, told The Palm Beach Post, that his family was coming together to grieve.

"We don't have a comment at this time," he said.

Jamaica-born Michael Barnett, father of three of Whyte-Dell's murdered children, said she lived in fear of her husband.

"She told me that he would follow her all the way to school," said Barnett, who visited Ryan in the hospital Monday and said his son spoke to him. "She'd call the police and they'd do nothing."

Jevon's father, Leroy Nelson, said Whyte-Dell tolerated Dell for their children's sake.

"They wanted to get away from what he was doing. They were having arguments all the time," Nelson said. "She felt really guilty because she wanted to do the right thing."

Information taken from The Associated Press and The Palm Beach Post for this story.