Lovelette Brooks, News Editor

Residents of Rock River gather near the scene where Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett, head of the Clansman gang in Spanish Town, and his driver were shot and killed in an alleged shoot-out in Tenarky district, in Clarendon, on the morning of October 30, 2005, during an operation by Kingfish. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

'Bulbie' was a silent member of the district. It is obvious that he wanted (privacy), and he got that here.

WE ENTER Tenarky district, Clarendon, in search of the late Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett's house. A church and a shop are the two dominant structures in the sparsely peopled community. We turn up the hill, off the main road, following a dirt track some distance inland.

There is a stillness in the cool of the morning as we drive up to Bennett's house. We pass a small house at the entrance of the dirt track and a larger house under construction, closer to Bennett's residence. These were his nearest neighbours. However, the larger house has no human occupants - only two hungry pigs and several dogs.

A substantial split-level house set on about two acres of land stands in a lonely valley overlooking a large tributary of the Milk River. Sand mining appears active along the wide flood plain of the river. A paved, curved driveway takes you unto the property. The large gate closed, is unlocked, allowing easy access to the house.

The yard

Once down in the valley, the secluded house is not visible from the road. There is an enclosed two-car garage. The yard seems to have been well maintained. A hint of a garden remains, strewn with fittings from the discarded water heater that was kept on the outside. An outdoor grille in the backyard shows signs of weathering.

The house has been partially vandalised the main entrance carries a large padlock, missing window panes and shards of broken glass indicate that persons have gone inside and removed fixtures and furniture.

"No one never see him (Bennett) yet, we always see (his driver) Nathan," relates a neighbour. "Him move round the district and is him was in charge of building the house. He took some outsiders with him and hire some guys from the area and them work fast. In no time, the house was built. I never ask any questions because people come in and build dem house from time to time.

"What I notice, though, is that after the house was finished, they had a lot of visitors during the nights - late. I could not see who was in the vehicles, but they were Jeeps and expensive cars, and they were dark," the neighbour relates.

She recounts what took place on the Sunday that Bennett, the reputed leader of the Spanish Town-based 'Clansman' gang was killed by the security forces.

"When they came it was early Sunday morning. I just wake up to go in the kitchen and make mi tea. About 7:00 a.m., mi hear helicopter flying overhead and when me look good, soldier and police crawling over di place - some in di river bed. Dem surround the house. One soldier say to me, 'Lady, go back inside, things going to happen this morning'.

Crime of passion

"Is about seven shots I heard afterwards. They were loud because the place quiet, quiet and the valley mek them echo. I was shocked and afraid, I did not know anybody name Bulbie, much more to know that him was living so close to me. What if I know seh him di wanted? What me would do? It's hard to say," she remarks, as she ends the conversation.

Out in Tenarky Square, no more information is gleaned on Bennett, but, Pastor Naval Henry shares some thoughts on the incident. "Apart from a crime of passion that happened long ago, this community is peaceful and crime-free. Nobody raised an eyebrow when the house was being built; it never affected us. It was a straight transference from Spanish Town, workers, etc. Obviously, he, Bulbie, was a silent member of the district. It is obvious that he wanted (privacy), and he got that here," Henry surmises.

Another church member informs us that she knew when the deal was being made to purchase the land on which Bennett's house was built, but the purchaser gave a different story from what she later learnt, as to the reasons that particular piece of land was being purchased so hastily.

"I know the person who was the agent for the land very well. Nathan approached him and told him he had elderly relatives coming home from abroad and he needed to build a house for them. That is how 'Bulbie' came to live here. If we knew otherwise we would not allow it he could not live here," she says with certainty.

"That Sunday morning when he was killed was amazing. There was no church, we just gathered around and prayed," she says, gesturing towards the valley where the white house stands alone.

Additional reporting by Glenroy Sinclair, assignment coordinator.

Next week, Joel Andem's neighbours saw him as an extremely quiet and pleasant returned resident.