Assistant Commissioner of Police for Crime Reginald Ferguson, who is leading the investigation into the double murder last week of two Austrian visitors to Bimini, confirmed Wednesday that the individual in custody assisting police with the case is indeed a local Bimini man.
ACP Ferguson added that he is contemplating calling a press conference in New Providence this morning to give an account of the most recent findings in relation to the murders, which have gained worldwide attention.
He gave no word, however, on when the man, who is being held in custody in Bimini, will be transported to the capital.
The suspect, who is believed to be 21 years of age, was allegedly taken into custody on Tuesday.
Many have come to speculate that such a bad light being shone upon the country during this time will adversely affect the nation’s number one industry.
Such claims have been dispelled by Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe.
“It is important for us at all times to recognize that we live in a world where terrorism, criminality, and homicides place a tremendous amount of fear among the travelling public,” Minister Wilchcombe stated. “We have to recognize that our nation has been able to succeed in its number one industry because of stability and security.”
Minister Wilchcombe is beseeching Bahamians to continue to persistently uphold and promote The Bahamas in its capacity as a conspicuous, world renowned tourist destination.
“We do not want to have our country’s name associated with anything that causes fear to the potential visitor,” he said. “So anytime something like this happens, we have to be very careful about what message is being sent to the world and at the same time pray and hope the we would be able to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, police are aggressively continuing investigations into the high profile murders.
The bodies of Austrians Bolza Berhard, 34, and Barbara Refreiin Perfall, 32, were discovered at 12:36 p.m. Saturday in Room 6 at the Anchorage Bimini Blue Water Resort in North Bimini by Melanie Saunders, a maid at the resort.
ACP Ferguson said that Mr. Berhard was found face down on the floor of the hotel room bound and gagged with an apparent gunshot wound to the centre of his back and that Ms. Perfall was discovered in on of the beds with an apparent gunshot wound to the right side of her stomach.
With a suspect in custody, a resident on the island of Bimini has said that residents on the island are now focusing on getting over the trauma and worry that the shocking murders created, especially for her.
“I didn’t sleep last night,” she said Sunday, a day after the bodies were discovered. “It’s scary because we’ve never had anything like this happen before. It’s frightening, and it’s going to be like this until this case is solved.”
By JEREMY FRANCIS, Freeport News Reporter
