[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he investigation into the shooting death of 42-year-old Kimberly De Leon continues. Police Commissioner Severin Monchery has given the assurance that the investigation into the death of mother of two Kimberly De Leon is proceeding. At a press conference on Monday he offer this update: “We collected certain items that have been sent for analysis. Initially we had some difficulty because our own forensic science laboratory is at the moment not operational. We sent some samples to Saint Kitts. Just this morning I got a call that the analysis has completed. Now we will send an officer to Saint Kitts to collect the results.”
On October 29 De Leon was shot in the head at her residence in Chef Harry Drive at Morne Fortune, Castries. To date there have been no related arrests, but widespread speculation about the killer’s identity. Monchery says the force is trying to discover ways around the lab’s closure: “I just returned from Miami where I attended the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police and now we will be getting some assistance from Trinidad in relation to some other items that need to be analyzed. That’s all there is to say on the matter at this time.”
Saint Lucia’s only Forensic Science Laboratory was “partially opened” in February of last year after it was shut in 2015 so as to undertake remedial work on the building. While we were unable to reach lab Director Fernanda Henry, reportedly on maternity leave until December 17, the prime minister’s senior communications officer, Nicole McDonald said: “We have had to close the lab due to inherited health and safety concerns. There’s an issue with mould. The building also has had some structural problems for quite some time.” The lab has been shut since October.
By McDonald’s telling: “A contractor has been secured and we are hoping to have the lab reopened very early in 2019. There are committed staff at the laboratory that are passionate about assisting the authorities in their investigations. But right now, it is of vital importance to address the associated health and safety issues and to get the facility opened as quickly as possible.”
