Just two days after the US Embassy warned about rising crime in Nassau, the city recorded two murders within a 12-hour time span.
Police are investigating the murders of Larry Rose, a web shop employee, and 22-year-old Paula Johnson of Kemp Road – the country’s 40th and 4ist murder of the year respectively.
Officers were called to Kemp Road yesterday at 10.30am when the young woman was found with her throat slit.
Supt Glen Miller, of the Central Detective Unit, told The Tribune that the woman was found by a relative lying on the floor in her home.
“She had stab wounds to her neck and about her body,” Mr Miller said.
Although police last night were still awaiting the official report from the crime scene, Mr Miller said there are indications that the murder may have been the result of a domestic dispute.
“We don’t know yet for sure if it was a domestic dispute. But it is a possibility, we will have to see,” he said.
A concerned resident of the area told The Tribune that she is enraged about continuing incidents of violent crime in the Bahamas.
“Where is Mother Pratt in all of this? Why is the law not being enforced? Every day women get raped and killed. Something needs to be done and fast,” the woman said.
Just 12 hours before the body of the young woman was found, 46-year-old Larry Rose became the victim of an armed robbery-turned-murder.
At 10.30pm on Wednesday, Mr Rose was at his place of employment – Percy’s Web Shop in Union Village – when two men armed with handguns held up the store.
“They threatened him, held him up at gunpoint and demanded cash. We believe he gave them a deposit bag. After that they shot him and fled the scene on foot,” said Mr Miller.
Mr Rose, who sustained gunshot wounds to his back, was immediately rushed to Doctors Hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
“We are always very concerned about every murder that happens in the Bahamas. Although this year’s number of homicides is not the highest that it has ever been, we hope in future to lower the number,” said Mr Miller.
He appealed to the public in this effort, encouraging people to report every incident of criminal activity to the police.
“The police are out there in force, we are equipped with the latest and best technology. What we need now is the public’s assistance,” he said.
By KARIN HERIG, The Tribune – Nassau, Bahamas
