WESTERN BUREAU:

Montego Bay CIB detectives, were combing Granville and adjoining areas in St. James late last night, in search of men who killed three men hours apart yesterday.

Detective Inspector Michael Garrick told The Star that they were hoping to make a breakthrough into the killings.

In the first incident, Kayron 'Townist' Martin, 26 and Orane 'Canter' Anderson, 17, were shot dead at the same premises. Derval Gordon, 34, a chef was killed some hours later. All are from Gordon Crescent in Granville.

Garrick said the police were following a number of leads relating to the double murder and would be working assiduously to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Police say about 7 p.m. on Monday, Martin and Anderson were at Cartergina Lane in Granville, when residents heard explosions. The Granville police later found the men's bullet riddled bodies, several 9mm and .45 spent shells.

Later about 3 a.m., Gordon was at his house when he was attacked and shot several times by a gunman. He was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he died. Det. Garrick said up to last evening there were still no leads into Gordon's killing.

Police investigations have so far pointed to a gang reprisal for the murders of Martin and Anderson.

"The men were killed in retaliation for Germaine 'Lovely' Allen's death who was shot in Granville Square in October," a resident said.

Detective Insp. Garrick confirmed that they have heard the allegations but said there was still no concrete evidence to substantiate the claim.

Allen, 38, a soup vendor of Pitfour, a district bordering Granville, was selling soup on October 3 this year, when a gunman shot him. Allen's brother was murdered prior to his killing.