52-year-old accountant, Phillip Whittaker of Stonebrook, aka “Benjie,” has been remanded in custody on charges of killing 43-year old taxi operator Garfield Byndloss of Florence Hall Village.
Whittaker appeared in the Trelawny Resident Magistrate’s Court in Falmouth today (Thursday) and was remanded in custody to reappear in court on December 19.
The killing took place last Thursday on Cornwall Street in the region of the Total Gas Station in Water Square.
Reports are that about 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, Byndloss was shot and killed by the accused during a dispute along Cornwall Street in the vicinity of the Total Gas station. The deceased received gunshot wounds to his face and chest.
He was taken to the Falmouth Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Whittaker alleged that Byndloss drove the car down on him and was reaching for something inside the vehicle, which he believed to have been a weapon, and he became fearful and pulled his licensed firearm and opened fire, hitting the taxi operator.
Whittaker was charged following a question and answer session with police investigators on Tuesday in the presence of his attorney.
Police reports were that the dispute between both was that Whittaker accused Byndloss of taking a picture of his car at his girlfriend’s house and sending it to his wife.
This led to the media (Western Mirror) branding Byndloss as “Whistle Blower” under the headline: “Whistle blower silenced.”
The killing that still has the town of Falmouth in shock, still have many in unbelief and anger at the killing of a man they said to be humble and passive. The deceased was a member of the Praise Temple Apostolic Church in Falmouth.
