The killer of a man found brutally murdered in his home six months ago is almost certainly being shielded by someone, it was claimed yesterday.

One of Glen Calvin Wolffe's best friends said he believed that, at the very least, someone had suspicions about the identity of the murderer.

The 39-year-old, who did not wish to be named, contacted The Royal Gazette to make an appeal for fresh information that would lead to the conviction of Mr.

Wolffe's killer.

He said: "I think somebody is protecting this person. We have a murderer walking around this Island free and somebody, somewhere knows who it is.

"I beg that person to come forward and tell the Police.

"No matter what anyone thinks of homosexual people, Glen was somebody's father and somebody's son. The people close to him are suffering very badly.'' Mr. Wolffe was a well-known homosexual.

"Maybe the Police should offer a reward to try and entice people to come forward. I think that is the only way they will tell the Police what they know.'' Mr. Wolffe, 43, who was the father of a teenaged son, was found dead in his Sandys home on November 17.

It is believed Wolffe's body lay undiscovered at his home in Heathcote Hill for several days before it was found by a relative.

This week, the detective leading the inquiry, Detective Chief Inspector Carlton Adams, broke his silence to renew his appeal for information.

He also revealed that the stonemason died as the result of suffering several sharp force wounds to various parts of his body and said officers believed they had found the weapon used.

Mr. Wolffe, who lived alone and was known as Bugsy, was definitely seen alive by family members on the Friday before the discovery of his slain body, although one person told officers they saw him on the Saturday.

He was known to frequent clubs around Hamilton, but during the few days before he died was not seen with anybody out of the ordinary.

It is not believed that Mr. Wolffe's death was the result of a killer specifically targetting men at random, or that his death was caused by a sex game gone wrong.

But the dead man's friend said he was concerned that the killer could strike again.

He added: "Glen was always out socialising. He was the type of guy who would talk to everybody and easily make friends. He was very trusting and I think that he knew his killer and had taken him home.

"What happened after that, we don't know. But it concerns me that this guy is still out there. I feel sure he could do it again and I am now personally afraid to make new friends and take them home.

"Who knows, I could even know the man who did this. He has to be caught and justice has to be done.

"That is why a reward needs to be offered. This killer should be found.'' Last night Police refused to comment further on the murder or the possibility of a reward, but Det. Chief Insp. Adams said earlier this week that he had already made significant progress with the case and would persevere, no matter how long it took.

The detective said: "Bugsy was murdered. He deserves, and his family deserves, to get closure of this.

"The only way this is going to happen is if we can resolve the question of who has taken his life.

"I intend to persist with this until we are able to bring someone before the courts.'' Anyone with information about the murder should call Police on 299-4315 or, alternatively, call Crime Stoppers, where they can report information anonymously, on 1-800-623-8477.