‘Why kill him?

For residents of Harmony Hall, St Lawrence Gap and Dover, Christ Church the circumstances surrounding the death of Jason Hobbs are like a mysterious puzzle that no one can put together.

According to some at Dover where Hobbs worked as a taxi operator, he was a charming, friendly, and the humble one of the group.

“Everyone who knew him loved him,” one woman told Barbados TODAY. Her sentiment was echoed by many others.

It is for that reason that when the 35-year-old went missing days ago, many who knew him well were extremely concerned.

The Dover area where on Sunday, residents where struggling to come to terms with the loss of Jason Hobbs.

Even more unsettling was the news that the body of a man found at Elbow Bay, My Lady Hole, Fortescue, St Philip on Friday, was later identified as Hobbs’.

“It was horrible out here with everybody hoping and praying that it wasn’t true,” said a shopkeeper in the area.

She added: “He went to school with my children at St Lawrence Primary School. He was always a very kind, sweet person. A really, really nice guy and everyone, even the tourists who knew him are saying what a really fun guy he was and it’s just breaking everybody’s heart.”

Police have not officially classified the case as a homicide but from the responses of those who spoke with Barbados TODAY, many fear he was killed.

However, in the absence of confirmation, residents have been avoiding questions about the chilling circumstances and in all cases have declined to disclose their identities.

Nearby, a group of men watching a football game also remained silent.

“He was very good to me. That is all can say, nothing more,” said another person.

The stall owner explained: “They don’t want to get involved because nobody knows what happened. He’s been missing for days, we heard rumours about where the car was found and all kinds of gruesome details and that is why people don’t want to get involved.”

She however opened up about the reality of being a mother in these troubling times.

“Strange things are always happening in Barbados these days. The issues relating to violence are now totally out of hand and for us mothers of young men, it’s always on your mind because you’re always wondering if they’re going to come home,” she revealed.

“I have a son very close to Jason’s age and I don’t think they have to be bad boys and they don’t have to be involved in anything to be hit. You just don’t know what is happening.”

Closer to the beach, a water sports operator described Hobbs as “a good man”.

“Water ran from my eyes this morning bigman. He raised with me around Dover and in this community so it hurt me to see this is how things turned out,” he said.

Although he was raised at Harmony Hall, Christ Church, Jason, the third of his mother’s seven children had moved out and was living at Apartment #1, 72 Elizabeth Park, Christ Church.

When Barbados TODAY visited, the apartment complex was deserted.

Meanwhile, at the residence of Jason’s mother, Marselle Hobbs, the atmosphere was sombre and the woman, who days ago was pleading for her son to come home now had very little to say.

Her only hope is that authorities can eventually explain how and why she lost her son.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb