A 63-year-old resident of Hopewell, Marriaqua was found dead in his porch on Thursday morning with an injury to the head in what is suspected to be the first homicide in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this year.
Police said that the dead man was Albert Lorenzo Lewis, a farmer and welder.
Residents of the interior community have told iWitness News that Lewis goes by the alias “Lovie”.
Police said in a statement that preliminary reports indicate that a neighbour met Lewis motionless on the porch of his home Thursday morning and alerted the police.
“Officers promptly responded to the scene, where they found the deceased with what appeared to be a wound to the right side of his face and additional scrapes about his body,” police said in a press release.
The district medical officer examined the body and pronounced Lewis dead. The
Crime Scene Unit of the police force processed the scene and removed several exhibits, including a spent shell recovered at the location.
Initial reports had suggested that Lewis’ body had what appeared to be chop wounds, but a subsequent report said the injury more closely resembled a gunshot injury.
Police said a post-mortem examination will be conducted on the body and the investigation is continuing.
Investigators are urging anyone with information that can assist to come forward.
“All information will be treated with the strictest confidence,” police said, adding that people with information can telephone (784) 458-5229, (784) 456-1810 or (784) 457-1211.
“The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) expresses condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Lewis,” the police statement said.