Community Reeling After Security Guard Executed During Supermarket Robbery

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.