After a three month respite, the sudden spate of violence continues with the murder of 18-year-old Marvin Anthony Augustin of Grand Riviere, Gros-Islet. The teen’s body was discovered on the Trouya Beach at approximately 1:30 pm on Tuesday afternoon after he was reported missing shortly before. Augustin was last seen on Monday evening and the circumstances surrounding his final hours are rife with speculation.
New reports indicate that the young man was also stabbed over 50 times, adding another layer of mystery to the brutal crime. It is alleged that Augustin was “gay” and the heinous nature of his wounds point to a possible hate crime. Incidents like these are not unknown in Saint Lucia. Over the past ten years alone, several members of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered) community have met untimely demises in similarly macabre fashion.
In a 2012 interview with the STAR, Co-Executive Director of Saint Lucia’s United and Strong Inc and Eastern Caribbean Co-ordinator at CariFLAGS (Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities), Kenita Placide documented the list.
“Abuses have taken place. We have had deaths of gay men that are still unsolved or unresolved. We had the death of Verne Romulus, the death of Germaine Nestor, the death of Marcellus Augustin; we had the death of Ethelbert ‘Romeo’ Evelyn in Dennery. These were openly gay people and these cases were not cases where they were just killed. These killings were brutal, with multiple stab wounds and beatings. There have been gay people who have been beaten in the street. Society targets the highly effeminate guys and the butch looking women. Some have been raped. They get verbally abused on a daily basis. And what works against them is the fear of reporting these incidents. People are internalizing things, instead of seeking help.”
At press time, police have still not located their prime suspect or made his photo available to the public to expedite his capture.
As Shaggy would say I wasn’t me ! ! So where is this “Phantom Jamaican” John Public ? ? As far as I know you can count the amount of Jamaicans living in St Lucia on one hand . Not to minimize the brutal slaying of the Lucian Bruce Jenner; but my question are to those who are calling for the head of a Jamaican was the outrage equal in temperament for members of the Royal St Lucian Police Force who are still on the force who were accused of brutality raping Jamaican Exotic Dancers and then deporting them ? How soon we forget; NOT KING. A police officer last year assaulted an American Tourist; and the government is going thru great length to make sure the officer will stand trial for that assault one could say they wont kill the goose that lays the golden egg compare to a Caricom National . Tasha Smith next week is mothers Day. There there there hush blow your nose and dry your tears Ishmel daddy’s is home.
He was a loving niaave boy who probably trusted too much, which caused his demise. He wanted other people’s approval due to him being bullied and his simpleness. It is the way that he was and his condition of mind. This is mostly why Marvin was in that way of life and also in the position to be hurt and killed. He probably was still in his teenage crush phase and would have grown out of it in time, but it is too late and we will never know now.
This is what people are not seeing and don’t seem to care about. Vulnerable teens due to self esteem and worth issues get into these situations and people take advantage of them. It’s just so sad and inconsiderate how people are highly concerned about him being gay. He was targeted and lured to his death as the weakest one of that group of boys that he went around with so the person could make their point. Maybe the person just hated gay people and wanted to use Marvin as an example? Maybe when he got there the person was not to his liking and it turned sour.
Most importantly this could happen to anyone if us or someone we know in any country. Older women meet people for dates, who knows their real intentions. There but by the grace of God, there go I. Or you as a matter of fact.
Finally on the insensitivity point, how some people have chosen to ask their friend for hair maintenance advise right on the post where people are grieving for the kid. The heart of man is wicked and comes in different forms.
I cry every time I…