Crime
Questions about Inquest so long after Marie Kuhnla’s Death
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, June 16, 2022 – A coroner’s inquest is a legal inquiry into the cause and circumstances of a death; and the Turks and Caicos Government at the start of the month opened one into the death of Marie Kuhnla. She was a tourist from Long Island who was found dead on the property of Club Med in 2018. The question is why now?
Kuhnla’s family says they think it’s a stalling tool intended to derail a ten million dollar wrongful death lawsuit filed against Club Med or a way to save face.
A seven member jury was formed to listen to evidence in the inquest. Under UK law a jury is convened for a coroner’s inquest under specific circumstances including:
- the death was unnatural;
- the death was sudden or unexpected; or,
- the death was in other suspicious circumstances.
The reasons behind the inquest remain murky and no communication ha come immediately from the Government about the incident; at least not until the inquest concluded.
So for days on end, there was no explanation about why the coroner’s inquest was opened so long after the death.
What is clear though is that the TCI court system finds the case important enough to warrant spending money and putting resources behind reopening what happened to Kuhnla.
Attorney General for the Turks and Caicos Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles told Magnetic Media she intended to make a statement at ‘the appropriate time’ but could not do so now because the matter was under judicial consideration and it ‘would not be appropriate to comment’. It is not unusual that matters under judicial consideration restrict comment from the judiciary.
Kuhnla’s family attorney, Abe George told I-Team, an NBC Media team on island covering the inquest, “They suggested essentially that Marie Khunla tripped and fell into the sand and killed herself which is the most ludicrous theory based off the evidence we have seen,” said George.
The coroner in the case is sticking to his initial findings which say Marie was murdered by manual strangulation, he also leveled accusations of criminal liability against an unnamed morgue employee who he said intentionally “decided that she was going to place this specific decedent (Kuhnla) under a heated exhaust fan” the coroner says this was not appropriate treatment.
No viable DNA could be recovered from a rape kit performed on Marie Kuhnla’s body when the coroner arrived.
Her son has described the inquest as a “sham” and “rubbing salt in the wound”
On June 7th, Susan Wallace the investigative journalist covering the event said NBC news NY had been refused virtual access to the trial after covering in person.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – In response to a deadly surge in gun violence, Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey on
Monday morning formally briefed the Honourable Premier Charles Washington Misick and Her Excellency Acting Governor Anya Williams on two recent murders and the broader security crisis engulfing the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The high-level debrief followed a harrowing week which reports indicate brought the murder count for 2025 to 15 people, including what was described as mass shooting where as many as four men were struck with bullets. The Commissioner provided an update on the nature of the week of homicides, the current status of investigations, and the coordinated response measures being implemented by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF).
Both the Premier and Acting Governor pledged full support to the Commissioner and the RTCIPF, as the country grapples with a level of violence that has deeply shaken residents and visitors alike.
“The Government remains deeply committed to strengthening public safety and enhancing the resources available to law enforcement,” read a statement issued following the briefing.
As part of this commitment, 40 specially trained officers from across the region have recently completed orientation with the RTCIPF and
are now operational. These reinforcements are expected to support ongoing investigations and bolster the national policing strategy.
Among the recent incidents:
- A young man was shot and killed in Five Cays on Saturday (May 24) afternoon. Police reported receiving a call around 2:58 p.m. about gunfire near a local religious institution. Officers arrived to find a male victim lying motionless with apparent gunshot wounds. His death is being treated as a suspected homicide.
- One of four men shot earlier in the week in Kew Town succumbed to his injuries, raising the death toll from that mass shooting.
As investigations continue, the RTCIPF is urgently appealing to the public for any information that might assist. Witnesses or anyone with
relevant knowledge are encouraged to report to the nearest police station, dial 911, contact the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477.
Commissioner Bailey, who was confirmed as the Turks and Caicos Police Commissioner in a ceremony on Friday April 25, has vowed that the RTCIPF will not relent in its pursuit of justice and community safety. Public concern has been growing as the scale and brazenness of violent incidents increase. Community leaders and residents are demanding a stronger and more visible police presence in hotspots, as well as urgent interventions to address the root causes of gun violence.
The police force has pledged to issue further updates on investigations and arrests in the coming days.
Photo Captions:
1st insert: ROBERTO YACINTHE, age 33 was shot on Saturday (May 25) in the Blue Hills community. He was an employee of the Alexandra Resort.
2nd insert: Crime scene in Five Cays
3rd insert: Flex Baptiste, 32 died on Friday. He was shot on Wednesday.
-
Education1 week agoHJ Robinson’s Daysha Andrews to Represent Turks and Caicos in International Letter-Writing Competition
-
Caribbean News1 week agoPorts Authority Attends Prestigious Caribbean Port Management Meeting
-
News5 days agoBEACHES TCI EMPOWERS STUDENTS WITH HANDS-ON WASTE MANAGEMENT TOUR
-
Health1 week agoTCI Ministry of Health Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 Variant NB.1.8.1 and Reminds Public of Preventive Measures
-
News1 week agoPremier Misick and Ministers ‘adamantly opposed’ 49 grants – Governor’s approval sparks outrage
-
Bahamas News1 week agoThe Government Signs Power Purchase Agreements to Help Transform Power Generation Across the Family Islands
-
News5 days agoBahamas Offers Condolences After Deadly Air India Crash as Sole Survivor Speaks Out
-
Bahamas News1 week agoBahamas PM Declares National Ocean Protection Week as Our Islands, Our Future Heads to Oceans Conference