Crime
Family Concerned after Inmate badly beaten in prison
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, November 22, 2022 – Police are not commenting in the case of an inmate allegedly badly beaten earlier this month at the Department of Corrections, formerly Her Majesty’s Prison, which is in Grand Turk; they say there is no case with them, so there is no comment.
TCI Media is nonetheless reporting that an inmate of Her Majesty’s prison had to be rushed to hospital on November 11th, after being beaten bloody by other prisoners. The report was made by TCI Spotlight; no information on the incident was shared with the public by the police which continue to raise questions weeks after the incident reportedly happened.
The report informs that the victim of the mass beating was Andrew Parker, a 32-year-old inmate serving 25 years for rape, kidnapping and robbery. Parker was sentenced in December 2021 after escaping police custody at least twice.
Reports indicate that Parker used a phone, which is prohibited for inmates; he was conversing with someone outside the prison about the string of killings in Providenciales. That conversation was recorded, running for just under four minutes. Despite the speaker’s plea not to share the information from the conversation was shared and went viral in September. It prompted a search, resulting in the discovery of the illegal cellular phone.
Relatives told Spotlight that Parker was relieved of the phone and locked away in maximum security, purportedly for his own protection and as punishment for the breach. Those who allegedly busted him in the head and wounded his torso are also locked up in Maximum Security, the family questions the safety of this decision.
The 32-year-old inmate was returned on Friday, November 11th to the general population of the facility, where he was allegedly ganged by several inmates who beat him severely. By the time officers rushed into the cell block, Andrew Parker was already in need of medical care. He was seen by the onsite medical practitioner and then rushed to hospital.
It was reported to our newsroom, on the day in question, that prison officers brought in a young man with a stab would and serious head injuries at the Cockburn Town Medical Center. He was taken into emergency, at the time we had learned. That was shortly before 6 pm on November 11.
In reaching out to police to corroborate the reports, Magnetic Media was informed, “no report was made to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force regarding the incident mentioned, as such, we cannot comment.”
Spotlight newspaper cited its source as relatives of Mr. Parker.
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Blue Hills, Turks and Caicos — June 26, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos community is in mourning following the brutal killing of a security guard during a robbery at GK Food Store in Blue Hills, a crime police are now investigating as a deliberate assassination.
The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Mervin Mattelles Joseph, a long-serving officer with Spencer Security & Investigation
Services Ltd., and a devoted husband and father of two young boys. According to eyewitnesses and disturbing crime scene video, Joseph was shot multiple times, even as he attempted to flee. His lifeless body was later found face-down near the store entrance, sparking renewed outrage over the vulnerability of frontline security personnel in the territory. “This was more than just a robbery — this was an execution,” said a spokesperson for Spencer Security in an emotional statement. “Mervin was targeted and gunned down while trying to protect others. He gave his life in service and deserved better.” The robbery occurred around 5:29 p.m. on June 25, when three masked, armed men stormed the busy community grocery store. After fatally shooting Joseph, the assailants proceeded to rob the business and fled on foot. Despite a swift response and active dragnet by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, the suspects remain at large.
In a rare public appeal, the police have urged anyone with CCTV footage or information—no matter how small—to come forward. “We need the public’s help,” said a police spokesperson. “Justice for Mr. Joseph and his family depends on it.”
The senseless killing has sent shockwaves through the community and reignited calls for better protections for security officers. “He couldn’t even identify them — they didn’t have to kill him,” said one eyewitness. “He was doing his job.”
As the investigation continues, Mervin Joseph is remembered not only as a guard, but as a protector, a father, and a man who paid the ultimate price for his commitment to safeguarding others. The community now awaits justice for a loss that is as profound as it is heartbreaking.
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