Earlier this week we told you about the murder of 21 year old Cotton Tree resident, Omar Barahona. Barahona was preparing to move to the US for work, and his family and friends held a small going away party before he left. According to reports, Barahona went out to the street to meet Devon Brooks, which is when they were approached by another man, who opened fire. Brooks sustained injuries to the leg, but Barahona was shot in excess of 7 times.
After conducting their initial investigation, police are of the opinion that Brooks was actually the intended target, and Barahona may have been killed because of their friendship. Brooks has been connected to several robberies in the past including last year's Income Tax Heist, and may have been targeted for splitting the money unevenly.
The assailant fled the scene, but thanks to the cooperation of eye witnesses, police were able to track down and detain Jeremy Parham on Tuesday. Parham was arraigned in the Magistrate's Court this afternoon and was charged with murder, use of deadly means of harm and wounding. The offense are indictable, so no plea was taken and no bail was offered.
After the arraignment we spoke with the father of the victim, Omar Barahona Sr., about the police's quick work at detaining a suspect, and his hopes for the upcoming trail...
Omar Barahona Sr. - Father
"I am very glad to hear that someone have been charged for my son's death and I know that the police were working very hard to find the persons that did it and this news is a good news and a comfort to me and my family. I know without a shadow if a doubt that God would have let them find the person that did it to my son."
Reporter
"Are there any fears that you have that it might be another one of those situations where a murderer gets off free? Maybe there is a lack of evidence or something like that, that the police would say."
Omar Barahona Sr. - Father
"Well you know I have a strong faith in God and I believe that once they find the murderer that justice will prevail and if that is the case and it happens that way. I still will leave them to God and I will let the law take its own course. I will just work with the police, whatever they want and I want to thank the police department for the job that they were doing. I cannot have enough words to say to them, because it blesses my heart to know that they are charging someone for the death of my son."
Parham is due back in court at the end of August.
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