Police have laid a murder charge in connection with one of the killings that acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Trevor “Buju” Bailey pledged in November to endeavour to solve.
At 4:45 p.m. today (Friday) police charged Rion “Pitbull” Cole, a 24-year-old labourer, of Paul’s Avenue, with the murder of Zarrel Veronica “Keisha” Small, of Pole Yard, Arnos Vale.
Cole is charged that between Aug. 24 and 25, 2022, with malice aforethought, he caused Small’s death by an unlawful act.
Small, a 43-year-old unemployed woman formerly of Fountain, was living at Pole Yard, Arnos Vale at the time of her death.
On Aug. 25, 2022 about 6 a.m., police received information about a female body on the tarmac at the decommissioned E.T Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale.
The police visited the scene and met the deceased lying on her back in an area where containers and trailers were being stored with what appeared to have been a piece of PVC pipe inserted into her vagina.
The crime scene was processed by the Crime Scene Unit and Small was pronounced deceased at the scene by a medical practitioner.
An investigation was then launched into the matter.
A post mortem conducted on Aug. 26, 2022, concluded that she died of asphyxia due to manual strangulation.
Cole is scheduled to be arraigned at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.
“The RSVGPF wishes to thank the public for their cooperation in this and other investigations. Together, we can make SVG safer and more peaceful. If you see something. Say something!” police said in a statement on Friday.
Small was among 42 people who were murdered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2022, a record that has been replaced by the 54 homicides recorded this year.
In November, weeks after being put in charge of crime fighting, Bailey, a seasoned detective, said he had ordered detective to take closer look at Small murder, as well as that of Precious Williams.
The body of Williams, 17, of Sion Hill, was found in a bag in Richmond Hill on May 12, 2022.
A post-mortem revealed that she died as a result of being inflicted with “multiple sharp injuries”. No one has been charged in connection with her death.
This article was updated to include contents from a police press release and a more recently photo of the accused.
What a gruesome way to die at the hands of a fellow human being. Rest in eternal peace sister. I wonder if someone did the exact same thing to one of your family members how you would feel. Great job detective. Lets get justice for this lady. Blessings
Just arresting some one with out acceptable does not guarantee a conviction. I know that Trevor Buju Bailey is a very zealous individual from childhood this personality trait was not tempered. The average Vincentian is weary of crimes and have modified their their living style in order not to be a victim. Modification of their life styles include but not limited to erection of burglar bars in their homes, avoiding certain areas, protection of valuables, not wearing valuables to give an appearance of being wealthy. The list goes on, with a crime rate of 54 out of population of 100,000 makes St Vincent the murder capital of the world.
IF you are a younger woman the chance of getting rape and killed es even more telling, certain individuals in authority look at women as a personal property. Allegation of sexual misconduct is not a fallacy. Hence, they are not motivated to be tough on crimes and the causes of crimes.
Was there fingerprints or DNA? I am just hoping this is not one of them that is so blatantly obvious that the law will deemed it to be a malicious prosecution. I know Bailey and others will want it to appear as if they have a hand on the crime situation. The crime rate for any year is at least 10% higher than admitted. There are situation where a crime has been committed but there is not a body to be counted. This is particularly so if you can recall the situation where a man has disappeared from the Calliaqua area. No body has been found. Disappearance after seven years is counted as a death.
Just a question with respect to when a person is charged with a crime does eye-witness new do a follow up? Recently Junior, Constable Royston Soleyn was charge in an alleged rape incident. Do you do a follow-up to brief your readers Administration?