Grief and shock have gripped the St. James community of Rosemount after a man killed his common law wife, his step-daughter, and then himself, earlier this morning (Sep 23).

Dead are 45-year-old Deon Smith, her 16-year-old daughter Jayshenel Gordon, who attended the Herbert Morrison High School, and her common law husband Fabian Lyewsang, all of Poincianna Close, in Rosemount.

Police say the couple’s teen son, who had been taken from the family home by the father, has since been found, and is safe.

Reports are that about 2:30 a.m. Smith and Lyewsang allegedly had a dispute during which he used a knife to slash the throats of both Smith and Gordon.

It’s further reported that Lyewsang then took his son out of bed, where the child was sleeping, and fled the scene, in his motor car.

The police were summoned and on their arrival, both smith and Gordon were found in a pool of blood, at their home.

The mother and daughter were taken to hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

A search was subsequently launched for Lyewsang, which led investigators to the discovery of his body, and his Nissan Tiida motor car in the Rio Cobre, in St. Catherine.

At that time, his son was still missing, but further searches resulted in the boy being found.

An uncle of Smith told Irie FM News that the couple had several disputes in the past.

Meantime, Inspector Francis of the Mount Salem police has appealed to community members to alert the police whenever they are aware of domestic disputes.