Couple Shot Dead at Eastchester Motel

 

 

By David Greene

 

BRONX, NEW YORK, October 16- Police responding to a call of shots fired at an Eastchester motel discovered the bodies of two individuals who were shot dead, execution style.

 

Officers from the 47th Precinct were called to the Holiday Motel, located at 2291 New England Thruway, at 3:13 a.m., on October 13, and discovered the victims lying in the parking lot.

 

Sources say both victims were shot in the head and died at the scene.

 

Bronx homicide detectives would soon identify the victims as Tracy Bennett, 38, of Elmont, NY., and Wayne Hamilton, 50, of Milwaukee, WI. Hamilton a popular reggae singer who performed under the stage name, "Captain Barkey," was also reported to have been shot in the back.

 

Witnesses stated that after shooting Hamilton, Bennett begged her assailant not to shoot her--when the gunman reportedly shot her twice and sped away in a vehicle.

 

Bennett and Hamilton reportedly met at an E. Gun Hill Road watering-hole the night before and were exiting the motel when the shooting took place.

 

The following day the NYPD would release a police mug shot of the suspected shooter, identified as music producer Joseph Kernizan, 42, an ex-boyfriend of Bennett's, who reportedly had a restraining order against Kernizan.

 

Hamilton reportedly taunted his alleged killer in a 2010 song titled, "Nah Lef Joe," where he sang about Bennett's relationship with Kernizan.

 

Kernizan is described as a male Black, 5' 5'' in height and weighing 220 pounds. Kernizan was reported to have fled the scene in a green automobile.

Anyone who knows Kernizan's whereabouts are asked to call CrimeStopper's at 1 (800) 577-TIPS.