murder victim of the year early yesterday morning after being stabbed during a fight on Court Street.

Mr. Spencer, a well-known motocross rider, died at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital shortly after 2.45 a.m.

Police are holding a 25-year-old Hamilton Parish man in custody in connection with the incident. They refused to confirm or deny reports that the man was Mr. Spencer's brother.

Police spokesman Insp. Roseanda Jones reported that Police were called to the scene but did not see the victim.

"We received a complaint of a stabbing incident and when Police went to the scene all they saw were signs that someone had been seriously hurt,'' Insp.

Jones said.

She added: "Police attended the hospital and found that the victim, a 23-year-old Warwick man, had been taken to the hospital by members of the public who were at the scene.

"The victim had collapsed and died shortly after arriving at the hospital.'' Mr. Spencer, of South Shore Road, Warwick was the son of Mr. Carlston (Blondy) Hollis Spencer and Mrs. Brenda Augustus Spencer, who owns Brenda's Poolside Diner on in Warwick.

Det. Insp. Sinclair White is heading up the investigations along with a team of detectives.

He would like to hear from anyone who can assist in the investigation and in particular anyone who may have seen Mr. Umoja Spencer between Saturday night and 3 a.m. yesterday morning. He can be contacted at the incident room at the Police Headquarters by telephoning 295-0011.

Mr. Spencer was killed less than 48 hours after a major conference on combating violence ended at Number One Shed on Front Street.

More than three hundred people attended the "Blow the Whistle on Violence'' conference.

Bermuda Chamber of Commerce receptionist Mrs. Rochelle West, 30, was the first murder victim of the year when she was stabbed to death on January 5 in the Chamber's Hamilton office.

Her estranged husband Rudolph Leroy West, 26, has since been charged in Magistrates' Court with premeditated murder.

Insp. Jones is also asking that the public have patience when calling Police as they have been experiencing problems with their telephone lines.