Correctional officer kills wife, himself while daughter watches
April 10, 2019A turbulent marriage, which survived for more than a decade, ended in a murder suicide on Waltham Park Road in Kingston 11 this morning, March 10.
Patrick Gowans, who was employed as a correctional officer at Horizon Adult Remand Centre, shot himself after murdering his estranged wife, Rouleene Clarke-Gowans. She too was a correctional officer, but worked at Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre.
The incident unfolded about 7 o’clock in the presence of the couple’s 12-year-old daughter, who was heading to school.
It is understood that the wife recently fled the matrimonial home in Portmore, St Catherine.
Since then, she had been living with her father Melford Clarke in the WoodPecker Avenue area – close to where she was killed.
A source said the husband visited the area this morning, parked his car, and waited along a roadway the woman usually used when heading to work or taking her daughter to school.
When Mrs Gowans showed up in the area, she stumbled upon her husband.
The woman’s daughter could be heard telling her to run for her life, a witness said.
Mrs Gowans tried to escape, but her husband reportedly chased her, and shot her several times, killing her on the spot.
He then shot himself dead.
Both bodies were later seen lying close to each other on a usually busy sidewalk.
It is alleged that Mrs Gowans was physically abused and threatened by her husband.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said cops at the scene recovered a Browning 9 millimetre pistol, loaded with seven 9 millimetre rounds of ammunition.
It added that checks are being made to find out if Mr Gowans was a licensed firearm holder.
This story has been updated to reflect information provided by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
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