Crime
Police Open Murder Cold Cases; placing posters in Grand Turk markets
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, December 21, 2022 – Fifteen days shy of the one year anniversary of her death, the Royal TCI Police have renewed calls for information in the Denise Buck murder case along with three other unsolved murders going as far back as 2019.
The cases include that of Lloydel Swann Jr; Dale Taylor Jr and Herbert Skippings.
Swann, fondly called LJ by his loved ones, was shot in April of 2019. LJ turned up at the Cockburn Town Medical
Centre with the head injury and was swiftly transferred to Provo and then Jamaica for treatment but could not be saved. The police had arrested three men in connection with the murder but nothing ever came of it.
Dale Taylor Jr was found by the side of the road on August 6th 2020, near a bar in the West Road District and was pronounced dead on the spot. The 15th murder of the year, Taylor’s death had marked the highest murder tally the island had ever seen. That of course is now eclipsed by 2022.
Denise Buck was killed by an intruder whom she had heard breaking into her home on January 3rd 2022. The woman had phoned for help but police did not arrive in time to save her life. A promised internal review of the time they took to reach her is still pending.
No press release regarding Herbert Skippings’ murder was ever shared with Magnetic Media by the Police, the only murder alert was of an unnamed man found in Back Salina on May 9th where police informed an investigation would be opened.
The posters were left at local supermarkets in Grand Turk requesting information.
Residents have expressed concern that it took between 8-months and 3 years to begin pressing the Grand Turk Community for information in these killings.
Crime
“Life in Prison for setting fire” as Wheeland Residents say fire bomb tossed into residence Monday night
Wilkie Arthur and Deandrea Hamilton
Turks and Caicos, September 13, 2024 – TCI Police are not saying how the fire was set, but they do confirm a fire was intentionally set and witnesses speaking to Eagle Legal News Media report that it was thrown into a Wheeland house where it landed in the living room and exploded.
“…it is alleged criminals sent fire bomb (s) through a home, but thankfully no one was in the living room area where it landed and an explosion was heard loudly, no one was hurt or injured,” reported Wilkie Arthur of Eagle Legal on the night of the horrifying incident.
The Police report explains: Shortly after 8 p.m. yesterday (September 9), officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force
responded to a fire report at a dwelling in Wheeland, Blue Hills, Providenciales. Upon arrival at the scene, police officers and firefighters saw a structure in flames.
All efforts to contain the fire were successful. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Based on initial reports, the fire appears to have been deliberately set.
The RTCIPF wishes to remind the public that under the Malicious Injuries to Property Ordinance Chapter 3.11, Section 4, “Setting fire to a dwelling-house with any person being therein Whosoever shall unlawfully and maliciously set fire to any dwelling house, any person being therein, commits an offence, and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for life.”
Fire Trucks and Police were summoned to the scene on Monday night. Images of the response are shared by Eagle Legal.
Meanwhile, the RT&CIPF is asking anyone with information that may help in this investigation to contact the closest police station, 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800- 8477 to provide any information anonymously.
***MEDIA RELEASE***
Turks and Caicos, 10th September 2024 – Shortly after 8 p.m. yesterday (September 9), officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force responded to a fire report at a dwelling in Wheeland, Blue Hills, Providenciales.
Upon arrival at the scene, police officers and firefighters saw a structure in flames.
All efforts to contain the fire were successful. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
Based on initial reports, the fire appears to have been deliberately set.
The RTCIPF wishes to remind the public that under the Malicious Injuries to Property Ordinance Chapter 3.11, Section 4, “Setting fire to a dwelling-house with any person being therein Whosoever shall unlawfully and maliciously set fire to any dwelling house, any person being therein, commits an offence, and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for life.”
The RT&CIPF is asking anyone with information that may help in this investigation to contact the closest police station, 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 to provide any information anonymously.
Additionally, individuals are encouraged to download the Crime Stoppers P3 app to share information.
Photo by Eagle Legal News Media
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