Eddie is lifesaver on Saturday, murder victim on Monday

There has not been a murder in the city since Jason Coombs was killed on November eleventh. That murder was apparently well executed and until today no arrests have been made. On Monday night, however, that brief reprieve was shattered with the murder of Edward “Eddie” Barrow Smith. Eddie’s family believes his homicide was caused by revenge. The twenty-four year old resident of Rivero Street was shot twice, one bullet in his back and the other pierced his heart while standing at the corner of Rivero Street. And the motive for Eddie’s slaying may have also been a matter of the heart. On Saturday, night Eddie was injured during an incident at Pinks Alley by George Matthews. Matthews entered the home of his ex-common law wife and attempted to stab her with a butcher’s knife. Eddie intervened and stabbed him on his hands, the back of his head and his abdomen. Eddie received minor injuries and was treated and released from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. But he did not survive Monday night’s shooting and died while receiving treatment. Eddie’s father, Ruben Smith, said he warned Eddie to stay away from the woman since Matthews was still frequenting her home.

Jose Sanchez
“Do you think it was revenge?”

Ruben Smith, Father of Edward Smith
“I thought so.”

Jose Sanchez
“Why would you say that?”

Ruben Smith
“According to weh my people seh and I meet wah gial weh used to work wid ah and ih seh dehn gone out because ih supposed to be di gial birthday and he and di lady gone shopping. Ih buy two suit fi di gial. Ih ker di suit fi di gial because di gial mi di have wah party dah di house. Look like di bwai come een cause di gial got three pickney fi di bwai and di bwai mi deh round still yet. Two weeks ago I come down and when I hear di story I warn ah rest dah gial. If yoh love di gial, I cant pick fi yoh but if dah gial got three pickney fi wah bwai and dah bwai still come round you betta move from ah cause ih might cause problem. Ih continue with di gial den ih gone dah dis party den I hear and di bally stab ah up nearly kill ah. He manage fi get fi chop di bwai.”

Jose Sanchez
“It sounds like Eddie saved a woman’s life. What happened last night?”

Norma Smith, Grandmother of Edward Smith
“Last night I noh know weh tek place but I mi deh eena mi house. Dehn come tell me Eddie get shot. He mi out by Haitian dehn and from deh ih gone so gone buy and when ih di come back ih look like di bwai dehn dodge ah.”

Jose Sanchez
“Do you think its related to this incident where he saved this woman’s life?”

Norma Smith
“Yes I think so.”

Jose Sanchez
“Revenge?”

Norma Smith
“Revenge.”

Jose Sanchez
“What kind of person was Eddie?”

Norma Smith
“Wah nice person, quiet. Ih listen to me when I talk to ah.”

Jose Sanchez
“Did he ever get in trouble or is this unexpected?”

Norma Smith
“Well, ih neva get eena trouble fi fight, only trouble fi weed when ih mi di sell weed.”

Ruben Smith
“I get wah lee tip again. The same young lady weh work wid ah seh dat two bwai, di bally set up two ah ih bally cause dah Gill Street and Supaul Street cause Supaul street got it in fi Kraal Road because wah time when ih mi gwein dah work, dehn fired shot afta dehn, dehn bwai from Supaul Street. So I could seh when I hear di announcement—because I live dah Corozal—so di first thing eena mi mind must be must be off Supaul Street. Di gial seh two person ih set up. Di person weh shot ah dah di person from of Supaul Street.”

No one has been charged for Smith’s murder. Matthews remains hospitalized at the K.H.M.H. while under police guard.