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WANTED MAN Poster makes social media before the Police release it 

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By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

 

 

#TurksandCaicos, February 28, 2023 – A new incident involving a wanted poster appearing online before it was released may be pointing to leaks in the police force.

The poster which names 22-year-old Mervin Joseph in connection to the September 30 murder of another young man began to circulate hours before the police press office sent it out.

We got a hold of it early Thursday morning but there was no sign of the poster on any official police website or social media. We questioned the TCI Police Force around 9 am; asking whether it was real or the mischievous work of a civilian.

Just after 4 pm, the Police responded confirming it was indeed real and around the same time released a copy officially to the Press.

Magnetic Media immediately questioned how the poster came to be on social media more than eight hours in advance of the police releasing it generally, but up to news publication time got no response.

The incident points to a serious breach in the Force’s information security protocols which may have alerted a suspect long before the police were ready to do so and further fuels speculation of trust issues within the rank and file of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police.

Last year during a press conference held by the Government and attended by the Police Commissioner, residents listed the high likelihood of confidential information not being secure as one of the leading reasons they remain hesitant to support police investigations with information.

Crime

Two Individuals Charged with Separate Assault Offences

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Turks and Caicos, June 28, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) has formally charged two individuals in connection with separate incidents of violence reported in Providenciales.

ZEKE HAMILTON, a 24-year-old resident of Blue Hills, has been charged with two counts of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm, contrary to Section 27 of the Offences Against the Person Act, Chapter 3.08.

The charge stems from an incident that occurred on June 5, 2025, in which Mr. Hamilton is alleged to have assaulted a female and her 18-month-old daughter.

The accused was charged on June 7 and granted $ 2,500 with one surety. He is expected to appear before a Magistrate on June 30.

In a separate matter, ANDREINA POLO, a 34-year-old resident of Five Cays, has been charged with Wounding with Intent, contrary to Section 10 of the Offences Against the Person Act, Chapter 3.08.

The offence allegedly occurred on December 25, 2024, around 8:00 p.m., when Ms. Polo allegedly wounded a female. The accused was charged on June 24, 2025, following an investigation and was granted $3,000 bail with surety.

Ms. Polo is scheduled to appear before a Magistrate on July 14.

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Crime

Unlawful Entry Charge

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Turks and Caicos, June 28, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) has charged FEDELENS GERNIER, a 26-year-old Haitian national, with Unlawful Entry into the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Mr. GERNIER, who resides in Dock Yard, was stopped and searched by officers attached to the Tactical Unit during a routine operation.

A review of his mobile phone revealed images of concern, prompting officers to take him into custody on SUSPICION OF GANG AFFILIATION.

Subsequent investigations confirmed that Mr. GERNIER had no legal status to be in the country.

The accused remains in custody and will appear in court on the next available date.

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Crime

Community Reeling After Security Guard Executed During Supermarket Robbery

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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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