Key Takeaways
- Police in Westmoreland charged Alecia Watkins for allegedly staging her own kidnapping, demanding a ransom of $600,000.
- Investigation confirmed her story was false, leading to charges of public mischief against Watkins.
- Two men, known as ‘Yankee’ and ‘Chucky’, were shot in separate incidents in Spanish Town, both later pronounced dead at the hospital.
- The Spanish Town CIB is investigating both shootings, which occurred within 90 minutes of each other.
- Authorities remind the public that false reports divert police resources from real emergencies.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Police in Westmoreland have charged a woman who allegedly staged her own kidnapping.
The authorities have identified the woman as 36-year-old Alecia Watkins, otherwise called “Renae”, of Petersfield, Westmoreland.
Investigators charged Watkins with public mischief, which is a felony. Public mischief can carry serious penalties, including imprisonment.
Authorities alleged that about 7:43 pm on August 15, 2026, the father of Watkins’ child allegedly received a photograph and voice note claiming that Watkins had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom of $600,000.
The complainant reported the matter to the Savanna-la-Mar police, and investigators launched an investigation. Two days later, on August 17, at approximately 11:00 PM, the police received information that Watkins had returned home..
Investigators subsequently took her into custody at the Savanna-la-Mar Police Station, where they interviewed her.
The investigation confirmed that Watkins’ story was false. As a result, the police arrested and charged her under the public mischief statute.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force reminded the public that making false reports can lead to prosecution and divert valuable police resources from real emergencies.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
Police say two men have expired in separate shootings in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.
Police said two men, known as ‘Yankee’ and ‘Chucky’, were shot in separate incidents in Spanish Town, both later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Spanish Town CIB is investigating both shootings, which occurred within 90 minutes of each other.
Authorities remind the public that false reports divert police resources from real emergencies.
Investigators from the Spanish Town CIB are probing two separate shootings that occurred within 90 minutes of each other in Spanish Town on Tuesday night. Two victims perished as a result.
However, the police have yet to positively identify the victims, both of whom reportedly were laborers, and are known only by their aliases: ‘Yankee’ and ‘Chucky.’
According to police reports, at approximately 8:30 PM, ‘Chucky’ was standing on St. John’s Road when a gunman approached him and opened fire, hitting him multiple times. He was taken to the Spanish Town Hospital, where the the authorities pronounced him deceased.
About 90 minutes later, around 9:50 PM, ‘Yankee’ was reportedly walking home along Old Harbor Road in Spanish Town.
Upon reaching 23 Old Harbor Road, a man armed with a gun confronted ‘Yankee’. The assailant allegedly opened fire, hitting ‘Yankee’ several times before fleeing.
Residents assisted ‘Yankee’ to the Spanish Town Hospital, where the authorities pronounced him deceased.
The Spanish Town Criminal Investigation Branch is investigating both shootings.