An 82 year old man was found dead in his home this afternoon and police suspect foul play. At around 3 pm, police found the body of William Popsi Neal, also known as Bagga Joe inside his home at 110 Vernon Street at its corner with Central American Boulevard. A post mortem won’t be conducted until tomorrow to determine the cause of death but there are unconfirmed reports that he has an injury on his belly. Darlene Nunez, to whom Popsi Neal was a like father, could barely contain her emotions at the scene.
Darlene Nunez, Friend of Deceased
“I know Mr. Neal good because I have my little business at the City Center and he always comes there to eat and he treats me nice and he is like
my father.”
Keith Swift,
“When was the last time you saw him alive?”
Darlene Nunez,
“Monday evening when I was going home I saw him around there by the Public’s Store. He was strong, he looked good. He always told me he is living for life. He always told me that. I don’t know if he died today but they told me that they killed him. I don’t know if it just happened. He is like my dad. My daddy died a long time ago and he always tells me that I am his daughter.”
Keith Swift,
“Do you think someone harmed him?”
Darlene Nunez,
“It could be.”
So while it is unclear tonight if foul play was involved, both Darlene Nunez and Annetta Lewis, another friend to Popsi Neal, believe his death may be related to a property dispute. He was seen on Monday breaking down a fence
that separates the property on which he lives and that was the last time he was seen alive.
Annetta Lewis, Friend of Deceased
“I believe Wednesday or Thursday morning early he died due to the work he was doing on the fence.”
Keith Swift,
“What work was he doing on the fence?”
Annetta Lewis,
“Breaking down somebody else’s portion of the land fence.”
Shane Williams, Guardian Newspaper
“Do you know why he was breaking down the fence?”
Annetta Lewis,
“Well because he claims to say the lot is his but as far as I know, it is two separate lots. Many times police come after him and try to stop him from breaking it down but he still continued. Only that I know so far about him. Sometimes I want to tell him to stop breaking down the people’s fence but he is a stubborn man; if he says it belongs to him, it belongs to him.”
Keith Swift,
“He did this in one day or over a period of time?”
Annetta Lewis,
“Two days. I would say he started Tuesday and completed it on Wednesday.”
Keith Swift,
“So you knew of the situation with the fence and the fact that he knocked it down?”
Darlene Nunez,
“This right here, he had already built this and then afterwards they broke it down and he built it up again.”
Again all of it is just informed speculation at this time. The post mortem is set for tomorrow and we’ll have more on Monday.
