CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST, Dr. Valery Alexandrov today (Apr. 30) performed an autopsy on the body of Donald Cornelius, who was shot and killed in the Stoney Grove area on Friday (Apr. 26).
According to a police communiqué, Dr. Alexandrov had determined that the cause of death was multiple distant range gunshot wounds.
The Forensic Pathologist had also found that Cornelius' left lung and heart were perforated by the bullets.
In an earlier communiqué, police said that at about 9:30 p.m. on the day in question, they had received and responded to a report about a shooting incident in the Stoney Grove area.
“Preliminary investigations have revealed that twenty-year-old Donald Cornelius of Stoney Grove, Nevis was found lying face down in an unresponsive state with apparent gunshot wounds to his body.
“District Medical Officer, Dr. Chandy Jacobs was summoned to the scene and pronounced Cornelius dead. The Crime Scene Technician processed the scene and took items of evidential value into Police custody,” the communiqué read.
It also stated that investigations into the matter are ongoing and persons with information about this incident are asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Department by dialling 469-5392 or the nearest police station.
Cornelius’ death has taken to 10 the number of homicides committed in the twin-island Federation for the year; two on Nevis and eight on St. Kitts.
The first homicide victim on Nevis was 22-year-old Jelani Liburd of Craddick Road, who was shot on January 1 but succumbed to his injuries at the Princess Alexandra Hospital on January 22.
