Slain man was ‘unlawfully killed’

A coroner’s court has ruled that the shooting death of Earl Joseph Hart was an unlawful killing.

Hart, 23, was shot seven times by two unknown gunmen, through his kitchen window on the night of 4 Oct. 2013.

When presenting an autopsy report, to the panel of seven jurors, on Wednesday 23 March., Dr. Shravana Jyoti said Hart was struck once in the chest, three times in the stomach and abdomen area, and once in the left shoulder, forearm, and thigh each.

He was rushed to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he later died during surgery.

“The four shots to the torso, although each was serious by themselves, individually they did not cause the death of the victim,” explained Jyoti. “Instead, they were contributory and together caused the death in addition to significant haemorrhaging and blood loss.”

During the inquest, the jurors heard multiple 9-1-1 emergency calls from persons who reported hearing multiple gunshots at Hart’s, Marina Drive home in Prospect. One caller reported hearing gunshots as far as three-quarters of a mile away.

In one call, Hart’s partner could be heard distraught and in shock, as she tried to console him while he went in and out of consciousness, and all the while trying to comfort their young child who could be heard crying in the background.

Killers were never found

Hart’s death, now a cold case, remains unsolved. In the days after the shooting three persons were arrested, but never charged.

“We had to release them because we just did not have enough evidence,” said RCIPS Detective Inspector Collins Oremule.

Oremule told the jurors that CCTV footage showed a dark colour Honda Torneo driving along Marina Drive, and then turning onto Orange Drive, where two men exited the vehicle, jumped a short fence and proceeded to Hart’s home.

“After the shooting, they returned the same way they arrived,” Oremule said. “The car had no licence plate, so we made a list of everyone who owned a Honda Torneo on island, then tracked them down. However, they were all eventually ruled out.”

He added, “We reviewed the CCTV footage; however, there were some areas where the CCTV cameras were not present, and so we were not able to track the vehicle after it left the scene.”

A checkered past

During the hearing, the jurors questioned Oremule about potential motives for the shooting and whether Hart may have been an unintended victim.

“There is no doubt that he was the intended target,” said Oremule. “This was clearly planned and executed very carefully. They knew where he lived and knew that he was home at the time.”

Oremule said police were told that Hart was gunned down for giving evidence in a murder trial the year before. Police were also told that Hart burgled a Bodden Town home, and stole jewellery, and firearms – and his death was retribution for the theft.

“We were never able to prove either of the two theories,” said Oremule. “However, when officers arrived at his home, we found a laptop which was stolen during a separate burglary at a Bodden Town address and a large amount of ganja which was purchased by the deceased hours before his death.”

“Haunted by Hart’s death”

Oremule told the courts that he knew Hart prior to his death and often spoke with him.

“Despite what he might have done, he did not deserve to have been killed, and certainly not like this,” said Oremule. “I am still haunted by his death because I often think his killers were never brought to justice, and we as police are supposed to give him that justice even in death. But we haven’t been able to.”

Hart’s mother, who attended the hearing, expressed her frustration at not being given any details surrounding the investigation despite the shooting having occurred eight years ago.

“He had three children, and not a day goes by that they don’t ask for him or miss him,” she said. “His youngest child will never know him because his girlfriend was pregnant when they killed him.”

After a short deliberation, the jurors returned a unanimous verdict of death by unlawful killing.

“It is unfortunate that no one has been brought to justice for this horrible killing,” said Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez, who went on to offer condolences to Hart’s mother and children.