Crime
TCI Residents Outraged at Coroner’s Inquest into Marie Kuhnla’s 2018 Murder
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, June 16, 2022 – “A case that even a child could see through” is how some Turks and Caicos Islanders are describing the case of Marie Kuhnla, a tourist found dead on the property of Club Med in 2018.
Kuhnla’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Club Med and a former employee of the company Frank Yacullo jr this year leading international news organizations to pick up the case again. Since then the treatment of the case has become increasingly bizarre and Islanders are taking notice.
Islanders took to social media with questions about the incident after a never before seen lab report was revealed in a late stage coroner’s inquest.
“I can’t fathom how they can even argue on this case…This is so disappointing from our Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force…” one said.
Marie was found on the Club Med property in 2018, the TCI coroner said she appeared to have been strangled, her underwear was on inside out and she had been beaten. Now medical reports prove seminal fluid was found in the victim’s underwear.
After testimony in the issue has ended a decision will be made by the seven jurors in the case. This decision – handed down this week – was to determine whether Marie’s death is considered a homicide or not.
The jury upheld the medical examiner’s findings that Kuhnla, 61, died due to manual strangulation.
#TurksandCaicos, January 27, 2023 – The Ministry responsible for Education confirms that a recent report of alleged sexual abuse was brought to the attention of authorities at a particular school. For the protection of the child, we will not divulge details of this matter. We do acknowledge that there were issues experienced which resulted in less than appropriate response to the incident.
The Ministry is continuing its investigation of the incident, in its totality and has since requested a comprehensive report on the response from all involved. Several meetings, visits and discussions were held. The key is to ensure that the minor involved is afforded additional counselling and care and that other students within the institution are also
afforded the relevant support needed. The Student Support Services has been active in coordinating this response which is currently in operation.
As an immediate further action, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) entities will convene and existing protocols will be reviewed and investigations conducted to determine the consistency of the response, exactly where the established protocols were not followed and the subsequent actions to be taken.
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services considers its responsibility for the Safeguarding of children of utmost importance. In so doing, the Ministry of Education has instituted a number of measures over the years to ensure that allegations of abuse to children in schools are treated with urgency. The creation of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) was created to ensure that teachers, leaders, Social Workers, and Police can respond to allegations with the child’s safety and protection as the core consideration. Child safeguarding remains the Ministry’s primary concern.
#TurksandCaicos, January 25, 2023 – An investigation has commenced into the shooting death of a male.
The murder occurred today (January 24th).
Based on preliminary reports, at around 3pm, the Police Control Room received a call from a resident stating that
gunshots were being heard in Five Cays
RTCIPF officers responded to the given location at Reece Street and found the lifeless body of a male, lying face down on the ground with what appeared to be gunshot wounds about the body.
Based on initial information received, the victim resided at Sand Bar Street, Five Cays.
Officers are at this time gathering pertinent details to ascertain a motive behind the murder of the deceased.
The public is being advised to notify the closest police station or to contact Crime Stoppers and give any information regarding this murder or any illegal activity anonymously.
Please note, that Crime Stoppers calls are answered in Miami and in Houston by Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers which is a non-profit and not a police agency.
The calls are anonymous and cannot be traced in the United States or the TCI.
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