Shocker

Relatives of 58-year-old Cleaphas Maynard are struggling to figure out what could have led to him losing his life allegedly at the hands of a family member.

The grieving family members are stunned that 21-year-old Stephan Greaves is currently assisting police with investigations into the death of his father at their Orange Hill, St James home in the wee hours of this morning. According to residents’ account, another man was also stabbed and is now hospitalized in stable condition.

The tragedy has also left residents traumatised and saddened at the loss of “a good man”, but also thanking God that more people did not die.

Residents told Barbados TODAY that after allegedly killing his father, the young man went to about five other houses in the area. They said it took the manpower of police officers to stop him in his tracks.

A police media release indicated that they discovered Maynard’s lifeless body after responding to a dispute involving two men around 1:08 a.m. The release also said a person of interest was in custody assisting with investigations.

Maynard’s elderly aunt Monica Callender said her mind was “racing” as she struggled to figure out what could have gone wrong between 7:2O p.m. on Monday, when she heard both the deceased and his son when she called their home, and the time the incident took place.

“I ain’t know about a dispute because when 20 past seven last night I talk to all two of them. I called he [Maynard] phone, the boy answered and he hand he father the phone. I ain’t hear nothing so. . .I ain’t know about family dispute, I know he was everything for the boy. He raised him from small. He used to be with the father. He father would carry he to everything. Give he money and tell he: ‘Crop Over time, go long’. He ain’t use to let he lack for nothing,” Callender said.

Although several hours have passed since news broke to family members that Maynard had died, his sister Joyanne Reid, who lives close by, said she was still in disbelief that her brother was gone.

Reid also stressed that Maynard and Greaves got along well, and even worked together.

“The two of them never had no quarrel or nothing. The two of them used to be in here living good. My brother used to look out for that boy all the time. He never used to let he lack for nothing. So I don’t know what caused him to do what he did. I would like to know…,” Reid said.

Reid explained that her son was on his way home from work when he heard an unusual noise coming from his uncle’s house.

“He say he hearing like if somebody breathing heavy, like if something wrong. I tell he to go back up there and see what happen, and the same boy run behind he with a knife and tell he he gine kill he too,” Reid said.

She said Maynard was a jack of all trades who basically built his home with his own two hands.

Other relatives noted that Maynard was the person responsible for the palm trees planted on the highway on the way to the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA).

“He was not a sperm donor, he was a real father to his children. He would cook, he was a baker, he was everything. He was a handy man, he built this house by himself, with his own hands. Plumber, mason, you name it, he was it,” the aunt said.

With tears streaming down her eyes, the deceased’s cousin Stacia Callender said whenever she worked late at nights, she could rest assured that Maynard would be there to take her home. Stacia said her cousin loved a party and was looking forward to Crop Over 2019 since this was his time of the year. She said he reminded her just yesterday that they would be attending an event together on Friday night.

“I can’t say nothing bad about him. I would bring all of my friends around and he gave them eats and drinks. Everybody would be merry about him,” Stacia said.

There was a somber mood in the area of Orange Hill where the incident occurred. A group of residents gathered under a tree, reflected on the loss of a “top man” who assisted many people in the neighbourhood.

“He was a good man,” one resident said.

Another resident added: “That boy’s father was one of a kind, he was a good man, you wouldn’t really hear anybody say anything bad about him.”

The residents also indicated that the young man in hospital was Greaves’ “good friend”.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb