Terror as dad and stepdaughter murdered

When Doreen Smikle heard a barrage of explosions on Friday night, she instantly woke her daughter Tafina Thomas, 36, to inform her.

She also called out to her husband Lennox Smikle, 50, who she had left sitting on their verandah just minutes earlier. Little did she know that bullets were being pumped into his body and her daughter's demise was just minutes away. The horrifying incident took place in Pleasant View, Eight Miles, Bull Bay in St Andrew.

Reports from the Elletson Road police are that at 9:36 p.m., gunmen approached Smikle along Rasta Lane and opened gunfire hitting him in the upper body. Shortly after, the gunmen went to Thomas' house, kicked open the door and shot her. The police were alerted and the victims were taken to the hospital where Smikle was pronounced dead on arrival. Thomas later succumbed to her injuries.

"When mi hear di shot, mi wake Tafina and ask her if she nah call [her son] because a bare shot outta road. Lennox did sidung on the verandah a drink some soup suh mi run come out after mi tell Tafina fi call [her son] and mi a look fi Lennox but mi nuh see him. Mi deh pon 'Lennox, yuh nuh hear what a gwan out a road' but mi still nuh see him," the grieving widow said.

Smikle said that she ran into the house, shouting for those inside to flee as it appeared gunmen were trying to get inside. Some of the occupants hid underneath beds in order to avoid detection.

"Mi run inna Tafina room and one a dem [gunmen] fire a shot inna di door. Mi never know say dem kill Tafina a grung because mi tell har run," she said.

"When mi realise dem kill Tafina, mi run and when mi run out mi see say dem kill Lennox," she added between screams. Smikle told THE STAR that Thomas died leaving her two children ages 17 and 13. She described her as a quiet and hard-working individual. She stated that her daughter was no troublemaker.

"Tafina don't go anywhere, is just from here suh to her stall and she will go to her political party meeting and come back, nothing more," she said.

Detectives are urging anyone with information that can assist the police in their investigation to contact them at 876-928-4200, Crime Stop at 311, or the police 119 emergency number.