FREEPORT – Cordell Darrell Farrington, 35, a warehouse employee at Kelly’s Freeport Limited, was charged with five counts of murder in two Magistrates Courts Wednesday.
This, after his arrest and the subsequent recovery of five skeletal remains in remote pine forest areas in east Grand Bahama Sunday.
Police would not say whether any remains were found at the suspect’s home.
Farrington was charged in Court 1 before Magistrate Franklyn Williams with intentionally causing the deaths of Jamaal Kareem Robins, 22, Mackinson Colas, 11, and Junior Reme, 11.
On count one, it is alleged he killed Robins sometime between Friday, July 12, 2002, and Sunday, October 26, 2003 at Freeport, Grand Bahama.
According to police, Robins’ family notified police of his disappearance last year; however, uncertain of his whereabouts, it was believed he may have taken up employment in the United States.
An official report was made on May 23, 2003.
On count two, it is alleged Farrington murdered Mackinson sometime between Friday, May 16, 2003 and Sunday, October 26, 2003.
Mackinson, a student at Lewis Yard Primary, was reported missing on May 16.
On count three, police allege that the accused caused Junior’s death sometime between Tuesday, July 29, and October 26, 2003. Junior attended Freeport Primary and was reported missing on July 29.
The three matters were adjourned to February 18, 2004, when a preliminary inquiry is set to begin.
Farrington was then escorted downstairs to Court 3 and arraigned before Magistrate Helen Jones for the murders of Desmond Rolle, 14, and DeAngelo McKenzie, 13.
Desmond, the eldest of the four boys, had just entered ninth grade at St. Georges’ High. He was reported missing on September 28.
It is alleged he met his demise sometime between Sunday, September 28, 2003 and Sunday, October 26, 2003.
DeAngelo attended Jack Hayward High and was reported missing on May 27. Police allege he was murdered sometime between Tuesday, May 27, 2003 and Sunday, October 2003.
Farrington was not represented by an attorney, but told both magistrates he understood the charges.
The two cases were adjourned to February 17, 2004, when a PI is expected to begin. As they are indictable offences, he was not required to plea and was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison, Fox Hill.
The media was not allowed in court during arraignment proceedings and the only reason given by police was that the magistrate had total jurisdiction of his court.
The minors were among five reported missing between May and September and became the subjects of a high-profile investigation, which attracted international media attention.
Four juveniles were charged before the court earlier this month for murder into the disappearance of Jake Grant, 12, the first boy to go missing on May 9.
Hundreds of residents gathered outside the courthouse and waited patiently on Farrington’s arrival yesterday morning. When it was apparent he was among the officers inside the police bus, the crowd got rowdy.
But he was rushed through the back door of the courthouse.
Minutes later, when Assistant Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade and other high-ranking officer exited the door, the crowd, which was kept a safe distance behind barricades and yellow police tapes cordoning off a large area of the courtyard, began chanting, “We want to see him. We want see him.”
Farrington appeared seconds later and as he sat in a window seat inside the police bus just before it left, he stared through the window at the media while being photographed.
He was whisked away from the courthouse under heavy police guard, some wearing bulletproof vests, to the Grand Bahama International Airport, where he boarded an awaiting Bahamasair flight to the capital. Police say neither of the victims were “friendly” with the accused, a resident of #11 Poinciana Drive and #7 King Neptune Drive.
Police also say it appears the Bahamian national met the boys informally and was able to win their confidence.
Management and staff at Kelly’s are all said to be in a state of shock.
Farrington’s employment there began on July 17. He reportedly walked off the jobsite unannounced last week Thursday and had not been seen since.
By Lededra Ferguson, The Nassau Guardian
