Janaire in 1991

He represented Jamaica on a number of occasions and was in high spirits, gearing up for next month's big Easter weekend race meet at the Dover Raceway. But motorcyclist André Janaire, for the first time in 20 years, will not be there.

He and his wife Charmaine were murdered at their upper St Andrew home in the wee hours of yesterday morning.

Janaire was employed as an accountant at Petrojam, while his wife was a registered nurse and a university lecturer. The couple were living with their two children, age nine and six, on Cyprus Drive in Red Hills.

Daughter found parents

According to the police, it was the couple's nine-year-old daughter who woke up to see her parents suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She then called her grandparents, who live next door.

The killer(s) gained entrance to the house by using a makeshift ladder to climb through the only window of the two-storey, incomplete, concrete house. The building was not grilled.

"André was found lying on top of his wife, as if he was trying to protect her from their attacker(s)," said his close friend, Rory Jardine, who visited the scene.

Janaire had been competing at Dover since 1989 and took part in every motorcycle event.

"The only time he did not race was when there was no racing at Dover," said Jardine.

Another close friend, John Hall, described Janaire as a gentleman who was always there for his friends.

"His death will definitely impact some us at the next race meet," commented Adrian Blake, who also races at Dover.

The couple were among five persons killed in the Constant Spring police area yesterday. Hours after Janaire and his wife were murdered, an unidentified security guard and a woman identified as Elsie Armstrong were killed at an apartment complex on Grosvenor Terrace.

The police also responded to another shooting at a service station on Perkins Boulevard where a man was killed.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com