Earlier this week, a woman from the U.K. named Sabrina contacted me, asking for help related to the murder of her relative, Father Charles Brown. The 71-year-old priest was murdered in a community close to Kingston. There are suspects. Sabrina asked me to run this letter on my blog (it also appeared in local newspapers), so I oblige here, with hopes it will help somehow.

Dear People of Jamaica,

We are the family of Father Charles Brown, lovingly known to many as ‘Uncle Charles’.

On the 24th July the senseless murder and loss of our beloved brother, uncle and servant of God, Father Charles Brown has sent ripples of pain and heartache across oceans and continents.

To us ‘Uncle Charles’ was a vibrant and funny man, he really loved a good joke, very understanding and adored animals, he devoted his life to the service of others, often sacrificing his own needs.

Uncle Charles was known to go without food or sleep in order to provide support and comfort to families in grief, to be a character witness for those facing the courts or to joyfully perform the baptism of a baby, welcoming them into the world with his kindness and warm smile.

He spent his life giving from his heart and we have had him brutally ripped from ours.

In every sense of the word Uncle Charles was a loving nurturing man who was not just a religious Father but a ‘father figure’ to many, in particular the disaffected youth with no positive male role models in their lives. He was the kind of person who would listen to your troubles without passing judgement or breaking your confidence.

One member of our family spoke to him on the day before his disappearance and recalls that the last words said were, “I love you” to which he replied “I love you more” this loving exchange was not uncommon when speaking to Uncle Charles, he was a very caring man.

So, it is with deep, deep sadness that his life was so cruelly taken in such a violent way.
As a family we do not want revenge, there is already too much blood-shed within our communities. We do however, want the person or persons responsible to have their day in court, look us in the eye and try to justify their motive for causing such deep pain and sorrow to the family of a defenceless old man, who would probably have helped them, if only they had asked.

What could he possibly have done to cost him his life?

We are very grateful to the Jamaican police force for all their hard work and countless hours trying to piece together what happened to ‘Uncle Charles’ since his disappearance last Wednesday and their swift action in trying to locate suspects.

Thank you to the Roman Catholic Church community, for their amazing support and assistance to our family and local communities, we acknowledge that they are also feeling the effects of uncle’s sad loss.

Thank you also to the Press for their local and international coverage of our plight; and for publishing the appeal for information surrounding the whereabouts of potential suspects and leads. We hope you will continue to help us.

We are also grateful to you the wonderful, caring people of Jamaica and around the world for your continuing messages of support and condolences that we have received. . They have been a tremendous source of comfort to us.

Thank you for your support.
The heart broken Family of Father ‘Uncle Charles’ Brown
August 2nd 2013