ST MARY, Jamaica — The man accused of killing school principal Angella Hamilton will remain in custody until early November, as the case against him continues to unfold in the St Mary Parish Court.
Thirty-one-year-old labourer Delroy Palmer, known in the parish by the street names Swag Boss and Basco, was brought before the court this week. His next appearance is scheduled for November 6.
Hamilton’s death in January sent shockwaves through Pear Tree Grove, where she lived alone. She was widely admired as the principal of Richmond Hill Basic School and had only just returned from visiting her daughter overseas when she was attacked. Her body, bearing multiple stab wounds, was discovered by a family friend after attempts to reach her by phone went unanswered.
Police investigations led to Palmer’s arrest in August during a targeted operation in Harmony Hall, Highgate. Detectives say DNA collected from the crime scene placed him at the centre of the investigation. He is also reported to have a prior criminal record and, in a grim twist, had once been a student of Hamilton in his early years.
The murder marked the parish’s first recorded homicide of the year. With Palmer’s trial date now set, residents of St Mary continue to grapple with the loss of a respected educator while looking toward the courts for resolution.
