WOMAN RAPED, STRANGLED

The woman was found lying on her back with her bra pulled down to her stomach and her underwear pulled to one side. Her legs were spreadeagled and there were marks on her neck.

Police suspect the woman was gang raped, strangled and then pushed down a cliff near the sea by her killers. Police reported that received an anonymous call at about 7 am yesterday informing them of a body lying on a cliff at Salybia Beach.

Officers from the Matura Police Station and members of the Eastern Division Task Force (EDTF) responded and began searching the entire coastline.

The search led Cpl Nicholas Vialva to a track where he stumbled upon the woman’s body perched on the cliff off Salybia beach.

The area was immediately cordoned off. Police believe that the woman may have been killed on Saturday.

The team of officers was led by ASP Arjoon Ramkhelawan and included Insps Lewis, Rampersad, Sgt Christopher Fuentes, Cpls Ramlakhan, Nicholas Vialva, Gabriel Stafford, photographer Pamela Persad, PCs Osouna, Buchoon, Singh, Williams, Kerry Singh Baptiste, Charles, Smith and WPC Lett. They were joined by officers from the Arouca Homicide Division.

District Medical Officer Dr La Borde arrived on the scene almost seven hours after the discovery of the body and ordered its removal.

Undertakers used rope to help lift the body which was taken to the mortuary of the Sangre Grande District Hospital.

The police are seeking the assistance of members of the public in identifying the woman who is of African descent with tattoos on her legs, arm and breast.

Anyone with information can contact either Sgt Christopher Funtes or Cpl Gabriel Stafford of the Matura Police Station at 668 2444.

Officers of the EDTF, led by Cpl Ramlakhan, have detained four men of Salybia who are assisting in the investigation.

Fuentes reported that this is the second unidentified body found in the area within recent times.

He said the body of a male, whose penis was cut off, was found last week about 100 metres from where the woman’s body was discovered.