PORTLAND, Jamaica — Elroy Griffiths, otherwise called Greg, who was Portland’s most wanted man, was captured by the Portland police after 5:00 am on Tuesday at Caenwood, Hope Bay in the parish.

Griffiths, was named as Portland’s ‘number one most wanted’ in September 2021 for the murder of Maureen Johnson on August 20, 2019 in Buff Bay.

Griffiths, at the time, worked as a security guard at the Buff Bay Primary School and Johnson who lived in the Olivier Housing Scheme was stabbed and the house they occupied burnt.

Fifty-year-old Johnson was Griffiths’ common-law wife.

It is not clear when the when the murder occurred but the Buff Bay fire station confirmed that they got the call for a house on fire at Olivier Housing Scheme at 9:37 Tuesday evening and responded. When they went the house was engulfed in flames and they put it out. A body was seen on the veranda that was completely burnt.

OBSERVER ONLINE understands that the body had stab wounds to the neck and the police was treating it as a case of murder and arson.

The two have reportedly been living together for about 18 years but the relationship was a rocky one, according to police reports.

Today a joint Police/Military team carried out a raid in the Caenwood area of Portland in search of Griffiths where he was captured.

Two people were taken in custody during the operation Griffiths and a female of Caenwood Road, Hope Bay, who the police say may be charged for harbouring a fugitive.

“We are warning citizens that harbouring criminals is a serious offence for which they can be charged. We urge the citizens of Portland to continue being vigilant and bring to the attention of the police, wanted, suspicious and/or strange persons or activities in and around their communities,” said Superintendent of Police, Kenneth Chin.

-Everard Owen