For the only witness to a cop murder, Jamaica sucks

Back in April, New Times wrote about a case in which the only witness to a high-profile cop murder was about to be deported. To sum up the story: Jamaican-born Dwayne Henry watched a light-skinned man slay revered Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Reyka in the parking lot of a Walgreens last year. Henry has a history of drug and theft-related crimes but no convictions for anything violent.

He cooperated with authorities but police still had immigrations throw him in Krome Detention Center. And soon after, the police department named a black man “a person of interest” for the murder.

Henry’s wife Francine, who fought his battle while he awaited deportation, reports he made it Kingston, Jamaica safely on June 20. She will visit him for the first time Tuesday.

Henry's having a rough time adjusting. He applied to work at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Kingston but there’s a six month waiting list. And without speaking the language, he’s not a hot commodity. Francine is paying for his rent and food. “Times are hard,” she says.

To date, nobody has been charged with the murder of Chris Reyka.

-- Natalie O'Neill