The second murder to happen this weekend was the result of a dispute between a woman and her sister-in-law. But while they were family, 24-year-old Venecia Staine and 25-year-old Leanne Davis never got along.
And their mutual dislike of one another escalated to a fatal stabbing, with Davis wielding the knife that she used to kill Staine.
The incident occurred at Staine's family residence in Gracie Rock, and our news team traveled there to speak with them. Courtney Menzies has that report.
A Gracie Rock family with five tightly knit sisters is now mourning the loss of their youngest sibling.
24-year-old Venecia Staine's plan for the Easter holidays was to visit her parents - something she had not done for years. And her mother never expected that that visit would be her last.
Staine's older sister, Beverly, with whom she lived, recalled that Good Friday morning she saw her sister leave, and the Easter Sunday when she learned that her baby sister was viciously killed.
Beverly Staine, Sister of Deceased
"Friday morning she woke me early, about 6:05, something like that, because she was getting ready to come by my mom. So I sat down by the sofa and she packed up her bag and she said, Bev, I'm going to spend the Easter with mom. I said, I wish I could go but I have work. That was the last time I saw her, walking through the door with the big bag and walking down the stairs and into the taxi."
"My sister from PG called me and she said, Bev how come you're not online? I said, sis I'm always online, what happened? She said, you heard they stabbed Mucci? I said, you lie."
"Then brother in law call me, my sister husband from PG. He said Bev you hear? I said what?"
"He said, Bev you no hear? Police is taking down the body. I told him no! I told him no, this can't happen. He said yes Bev yes, I said no, I was just texting my sister."
"I ran into the room, my boyfriend is asking my what happened, I can't tell him, I lie down on the bed and scream out."
And while Staine's death came as a shock to the family, her alleged killer was no surprise. According to her sister, Staine and her sister-in-law, Lianie Davis, had been battling it out for years, even getting into an altercation once before.
Beverly Staine, Sister of Deceased
"My sister hasn't come back here for years to visit her mom, why? Because of her. Because she was living here with my mom and my dad. And she like problem, so we tried to keep my sister away from her because they don't get along. Because she is a disrespectful person, and none of us like it, so we always tell her when it come to our mom and dad, we don't play like that. It used to be me and she used to have it, and I put her out of my house for that same reason, because she came way here to disrespect my ma."
"And that's what cause the dispute, because my sister didn't like it, and my sister would tell her about it, and anytime she saw my sister, she would attack her."
"I tell my ma, you know how this girl behave, I told her Lianie doesn't respect any of us, I told her she is going to destroy our family and then she done she's going. And so said, so done."
While the sisters tried to keep the peace, if only for the sake of their brother who had been dating the suspect for years, Davis had reportedly told the family that she wanted to take revenge on the victim when she visited the house again.
And it all came to a head as Staine sat here, at her mother's doorstep.
Beverly Staine, Sister of Deceased
"I asked my niece who was here, I asked her and said what happened, because we done with that. She said my sister Venecia was by the door on the phone and she said my sister-in-law come and bounce she from the door, so my sister turned around and said, what happened? You don't have manners then? And then my sister just turned her back and continued using her phone. And it looked like then, I don't know if she came with the knife or she get the knife from inside, but it was then that she - the first stab they said my sister get was in the back of her neck. And this was the one that my niece said, when she come out, she said my sister looked like she was getting paralyzed. She started yelling, ow my neck! And my sister-in-law come out and they said it was like this my sister in law was going into her with the knife."
Staine tried to defend herself, but to no avail. Police corroborated the sister's story that the two women had a history of misunderstandings but said that they have not ruled it as a murder just yet.
Senior Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head NCIB
"The scene was processed where a knife was recovered from the house, investigations is being conducted into this matter and by the end of the day we will determine what charges will be levied upon the suspect."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Any information as to the background of the argument with the sister in law?"
Senior Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head NCIB
"They had previous misunderstandings in the past and that is what led to this incident."
Reporter:
"Why is it not a straight cut charge of murder?"
Senior Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head NCIB
"There are different factors in the investigation that we would have to take into consideration."
But for this family, their Gracie Rock paradise will always be a grim reminder. For Staine's sister, her own home feels empty without the loud music and dancing from her sister that she is accustomed to.
Beverly Staine, Sister of Deceased
"I go into her room, and I'd pick up her pillow, just to smell her, just to have that little comfort, so that I can go to sleep. I miss her, my house is lonely at town."
This evening, police confirmed that they have charged Leanne Davis with murder, attempted murder, and use of deadly means of harm.
