Initial investigations revealed that the victim, later identified as 31-year-old Haitian visitor Jean Pony Pierrevil, was attempting to swim in a canal behind the house where he was staying as a guest. According to police, Pierrevil arrived on Grand Bahama on August 20, and was scheduled to return to Haiti on the 30th, but was unable to get on a flight. Police say that around 11:35 a.m. on Thursday, Ricky Laing, 45, of #6 Booty Drive, Fortune Bay Village, Lucaya reported to the Central Detective Unit that Pierrevil, went for a swim around 8:30 a.m. in the canal at the rear of his home and had not been seen or heard from since.
Reports stated that the police marine unit was alerted and a go-fast boat with several divers onboard was dispatched to that area, where a search effort was launched.
Police revealed that sometime after 3p.m., Pierrevil’s lifeless body was located and retrieved from the deep waters.
He was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the morgue at the Rand Memorial Hospital via hearse. Police do not suspect foul play at this time, however an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death. Meanwhile, one young Grand Bahama resident is presently in police custody after being arrested for alleged ammunition possession. Authorities say that at about 5p.m. on Wednesday, Drug Enforcement Unit officers were in the Pioneers Way area executing a search warrant at a home in that vicinity, suspected of containing dangerous drugs and firearm, when they noticed a young man walking across the backyard towards the road allegedly trying to leave the premises.
Reports say that he was detained by one of the officers, who reportedly found two live .40 calibre bullets from his pants pocket.
As a result, the man was arrested and formal charges are expected to be filed sometime today.
In other news, police are busy investigating an early morning burglary and armed robbery incident that occurred at about 4:30 on Thursday, August 31, when two masked men, one armed with a handgun, forced their way into a house on Ferry Horse Lane, Seahorse Village and robbed the three Romanian occupants, who are employees of the Grand Bahama Shipyard of an undetermined amount of cash, passports and other personal items.
Police say that shortly before that incident , the same two culprits were suspected of robbing four Bulgarians nationals, also employed at the Shipyard, inside their residence of passports, money and other items. These matters are presently under intensive investigation.
By: A. ARMBRISTER, The Nassau Guardian
