- NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Assistant Commissioner of Police Denver Frater.
Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
LAST SUNDAY'S killing of Delano 'Bigga Crime' Williams, the man police dubbed as the second in command of the much-feared 'Stone Crusher' gang, has once again highlighted the fact that Montego Bay is not a safe place for men wearing the 'most wanted' tag.
Williams, who the police also labelled as a much-feared 'hit-man', was reportedly wanted in connection with some 10 murders committed in the volatile Norwood community, which is considered the home turf of the 'Stone Crusher' gang.
If one should catalogue the rise and fall of the men who have been labelled Montego Bay's most wanted over the past 25 years, the profile reads like a gangster's handbook.
Over 90 per cent were killed within a year of becoming 'most wanted'.
The majority who died fell in the age group 18-30.
They were generally from volatile inner-city communities.
"It is like a recurring decimal," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Denver Frater, the head of the investigative arm of Operation Kingfish. "The pattern has been much the same over the past 20-25 years. Once they become prominent, they usually end up dead."
FALLEN GANGSTERS - 1982-2006
1982 Patrick 'Swang' Stephen, who was implicated in the shooting death of policeman Paul Shaun, was shot and killed by the police within two months of
being labelled Montego Bay's most wanted.
1984 Owen 'Jaggarue' Graham, who was renowned for his trademark military fatigues and an M16 assault rifle, was considered a notorious robber/murderer. He was killed in a shoot-out with the police in 1986.
1987 Owen 'Pugan' Pearson, who led the notorious 'Somerton' gang, was considered a man of extreme violence who robbed and killed with impunity.
He was killed in a shoot-out in Falmouth in 1989.
1992 Fitzroy 'The General' Smart, who was linked to several murders and robberies involving tourists, was killed in a shoot-out with the police in Unity Hall, St. James, in 1994. The firearm taken from his body was traced to former Member of Parliament for West Central St. James, Carl Rhoden.
1994 Lenroy 'Len' Bircher, the leader of 'The Flower Hill' gang, regularly challenged the police for control of the streets on Montego Bay.
He was killed in a clash with the police in 1995.
1995 Icha 'Dread' Panton, the Flankers mass murderer, was shot dead in Flankers a few weeks after he shot and seriously injured policeman Everton Grant in one of several clashes with the police.
1995 Miguel Jarrett, who replaced Bircher as leader of the 'Flower Hill' gang was elevated to 'most wanted' after he was implicated in three murders. He was killed in a shoot-out towards the end of the year.
1998 Notorious rapist/gunslinger Albert 'Sir Paul' James, who drove fear into all and sundry, was killed in a shoot-out in Negril, on Easter Monday, 1999. Policeman Hugh Henry was shot and killed in that same incident.
2001 Nino 'Bada Bada' Alexander, who was linked to a series of fatal drive-by shootings in Montego Bay, was killed in a shoot-out with the police five months after he was labelled St. James' most wanted man.
2002 Ansel 'Zadda' Mellish, who the police said eliminated several fellow gangsters in a mad rush to become the parish's top outlaw, was killed in a shoot-out with the police in the Fairfield area of Montego Bay.
2002 Brian 'Bruno' Stone, who the police said was a top player in a murderous gang feud in Rose Heights, was killed in a shooting incident in which Corporal Clive 'Karate Georgie' Lawrence was shot and injured.
2002 Frank 'Prento' Whylie, who became most wanted when he was implicated in the killing of Inspector Rupert Gardener on June 10, 2002, was killed in a shoot-out in Rose Heights three month later.
2002 Karlie 'Mathalon' Williams, the other man implicated in the murder of Inspector Rupert Gardener, was implicated in several robberies and shootings, before being killed in a clash with the police late in the year.
2002 Christopher 'Ribena' Hyman came to prominence when he was implicated in a number of shootings in the Flankers area. His reign was short-lived as he was killed in an early morning clash with the police.
2005 Michael 'Banna' Granstan, who was implicated in several murders, including the killing of an ex-policeman, engaged the police in several shoot-outs before he was killed in the York Bush area of the parish.
