By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com

The life of a well-known religious leader was allegedly threatened twice this weekend, following his calls for Acting Commissioner of Police Reginald Ferguson to update the public on the murder investigations regarding fashion designer Harl Taylor and College of the Bahamas lecturer Dr. Thaddeus McDonald.

Senior Pastor of New Covenant Baptist Church Bishop Simeon Hall said he received the "threatening" phone calls on Saturday, April 19.

"Sometime after 3 p.m. on Saturday, two men called in succession with muted voices. I was told to 'mind my own business', and 'We are going to mess you up'," the bishop detailed in a letter to the acting commissioner dated April 20, 2008.

Bishop Hall, who is also heads the recently-appointed Crime Council, added that since he raised the issue regarding the murder of Taylor and McDonald, he has also received several positive calls.

"One man commended me and told me I must stay on it," he reported.

In his initial letter to Ferguson, which he sent in March, Hall said, "I write to make inquiries concerning the state of your investigations into the murders of Dr. Thaddeus McDonald, Mr. Harl Taylor and all those other cases that might be similarly classified as ones that happen to be 'under active investigation'."

He continued, "You might know that there are very many people in the community who are coming to their own conclusions, some of which happen to be most uncomplimentary as regards to police competence and integrity. To be quite candid about the matter at hand, I must say that while I believe that you are doing a stellar job, some of your officers do leave much to be desired."

The pair was killed in November last year and investigations into their murders are still pending.

McDonald's and Taylor's cases were also highly publicized because of the circumstances surrounding their demise. Both suffered particularly gruesome deaths.

McDonald's battered and mutilated body was found inside his Queen's Street home, after he was apparently bludgeoned to death.

Hall said that according to McDonald's brother, Madison, he was found lying on a bed, apparently beaten to death with a clothes iron. It was also reported that his face had been smashed in.

Meanwhile, Taylor was found murdered in his West Hill Street home just days after McDonald's body was discovered. He was reported to have been stabbed nearly 30 times and beaten.

To date, the police have not stated whether they believe the two murders are related. The police also have yet to identify a possible suspect.

"I believe it is important that you, sir, update the public as to where your investigations are in these matters," said Hall in his original letter.

Meanwhile, in the letter that he sent to the acting commissioner on Sunday, he said, "I thought to register with you that my life has been threatened."

McDonald was COB's Dean of Social and Educational Studies, while Taylor was an internationally renowned Bahamian handbag designer.