Crime
Denise Buck murder remains unsolved, her sister coming to Turks & Caicos
By Deandrea Hamilton and Dana Malcolm
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, November 18, 2022 – In a matter of just days, the sister of Denise Buck, Lesley Campbell, will be in the Turks and Caicos to honour her sister’s deep love for Grand Turk, leaving her ashes in the island Buck long called home, the island Denise wanted to be her forever resting place. It is also the island where she was brutally killed in a case which adds to the stack of unsolved murders in the TCI.
It’s almost been a year since Denise Buck was bludgeoned to death in Grand Turk by a home intruder. The body of the 61 year old, who once worked as a restaurant manager, had finally been released to loved ones, where her wish to be cremated and left in her favorite place will be fulfilled. It will be somber, but making the farewell more agonizing for those who cared for her, the gnawing fact that the Royal TCI Police remains silent on the case and clueless about the killer at large.
Denise called the police at 1:07 a.m. on January 3rd saying someone was breaking into her house. By the time police
arrived at the scene she was dead; murdered by a blow to the head and the killer had time to escape, snatch Denise’s phone and get rid of the murder weapon. Denise had significant cash in her home, but the killer did not take the money we were told.
Five months after her death Denise’s sister Lesley spoke to Magnetic Media in hopes of spurring greater activity of the homicide case, which seemed to have been sidelined by police investigators.
“Clearly, probably they’ve never retrieved the phone and they haven’t found the murder weapon. So it’s probably in the creek, isn’t it, at the bottom? That’s where I’d dump it if I was a perpetrator of such a crime and what they have done, I couldn’t tell you to be honest with you.”
In the months since Lesley said there has been no progress to speak of. Details of the case shared by Buck’s sister expose multiple flubs by the police, including mismatched statements to the family and a continued refusal even now to simply declare what time officers arrived at her home after she made the call.
Lesley says they were told the man who killed her sister had even called the police back and told the operator they could come and get Denise because he was done murdering her. Police redacted that statement in a subsequent report and deny the claims.
Lesley is convinced that people know who murdered her sister as blackmail attempts were made on her family.
“I’ve not been able to have any kind of closure or be able to put anything to rest because I am that sort of person.” She told us. “I guess I can sort of park it somewhere and let other things cloud in… but all I want, I’d like the police to do a bit of work and find the murderer because I can’t imagine on a small island like Grand Turk, that somebody doesn’t know who it is, in fact I know that somebody does know.”
Since her murder on January 3, 2022 there have been 30 more people killed in the Turks and Caicos. Our records indicate, of that number only three suspects were identified and arrested.
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.
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