Federation records eigth homicide for the year
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE lifeless body of a 30-year-old man was discovered this morning (Apr. 25) lying on a dirt road in the vicinity of Godwin Ghaut Bridge.
Dead is Shervin Williams of Godwin Estate, a former resident of Middle Island on the western corridor of Basseterre.
According to Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Vaughan Henderson, this morning at approximately 8:35 officers at the Old Road Police Station received a report of a homicide in Godwin Ghaut.
Henderson said officers from the Old Road and Sandy Point Police Stations and the District ‘B’ Crime Response Unit immediately responded to the report.
“Enquires revealed that Shervin Williams of Godwin Ghaut, formally of Middle Island, was found lying on his left side on a dirt road in a remote area above the railway in the vicinity of Godwin Ghaut Bridge.
“According to investigations, Williams had obvious injuries to the neck and head that appeared to be caused by gunshot. The District Medical Officer visited the scene and pronounced him dead. The Coroner was informed and gave permission for the body to be removed to a funeral home under police escort,” Henderson said.
He noted that the scene was processed by officers of the Crime Scene Department, who collected a number of items of evidential value and took them into custody for further analysis.
“There are no suspects in police custody at this time, but investigators are following up on a number of leads. Investigations into this matter are ongoing,” Henderson added.
Williams’ death brings to eight the number of homicides recorded in the twin-island Federation for the year - seven on St. Kitts and one on Nevis.
From among those homicides, three of them were solved and six young men are currently in Her Majesty’s Prison on murder charges.
Jointly charged with the murder of Laustin Jamie ‘Big Ship’ Williams of Bay View Gardens are 19-year-old Jahari ‘Baddie’ Bart and Kelroy ‘C-Face’ Hazel (22), both of St. Johnson Village; while 25-year-old Kevis ‘Yellow’ Riley of George Street, Newtown was charged with the murder of Bijorn ‘Bush’ Richardson of Wellington Road.
And over on Nevis, 19-year-old Raphael Wallace of New Castle, Dustin Lapsey (27) of Bath Village and Asim Parris (31) of Stoney Grove were jointly charged with the murder of Gary Smithen of Hermitage.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE: The word ‘solved’ in this article does not mean that the six men charged with murder are guilty of the crimes; for a man is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It simply speaks to the solvability rate of homicides. For example, of the eight homicides recorded for the year, the police have only been able to arrest and charge suspects for three of them. Not to mention those from 2005.
