Archive for October 12th, 2008
Hunt on for murderer of Estella Scott Roberts
(CNS): Police are appealing to the community to come forward with any information they may have regarding what is now considered to be the murder of Estella Scott-Roberts. Chief Inspector Peter Kennett, the Senior Investigating Officer, told the press on Sunday afternoon that the body found in a burnt out car just east of Shorewinds Trail in The Shores, West Bay, at the end of one of the Dykes is so badly burned that there may never be a formal identification but police are now working on the assumption that is the body of Scott-Roberts.
The murder of the Cable and Wireless Communications Manager and former Director the Crisis Centre Scott Roberts (34) has sent shock waves through the Cayman Islands community. As an advocate for the rights of women and children, a warrior against violence and abuse and a member of the human rights committee Scott-Roberts was well-known and admired.
While the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service says it may never be possible to get a positive ID, even with DNA testing because of he severity of the car fire in which Scott-Roberts body was found, this is now a murder enquiry. The car a black SUV 2007 Ford Edge license 129-257 is registered to Scott-Roberts who was last seen around 11:00pm on Friday night when she left Decker’s restaurant after diner.
“A priority for us at this time is finding out what happened to Estella after she left Deckers restaurant. It is crucial that we find out how her car got from the restaurant to West Bay,” he said. “We know she had dinner with friends and left the restaurant sometime between 11 and 11.30pm. We do not know how the vehicle got to West Bay. Did you see her in the car park after she left the restaurant? Did you see her car on the road? If you did, where was it heading? Who was in it? We need you to come forward.”
Kennett explained that police were still investigating how the fire was started.
“The vehicle is being forensically examined by Scenes of Crime officers and we will be seeking the opinion of fire experts. We believe the car would have been burning for some time and that the person who started the fire used some sort of accelerant, such as gas. If this is the case, it is possible that whoever did this went to get the gas overnight Friday into Saturday. This could have been from a gas station. If anyone has knowledge of gas being bought, maybe in a canister, or of gas being stolen from a storage facility, they need to come forward as this could be vital to our enquiry,” he added.
He said that police were also trying to establish how the perpetrator left the scene.
“We do not know how whoever started this fire left the Dykes. It could have been on foot, in a car or some other means of transport,” he said, urging taxi drivers who may have collected someone of interest from the West Bay area to come forward. “This may have been someone acting suspiciously, someone in a distressed state or someone who wanted collecting from the side of the road. Anything out of the ordinary could be important.” He also asked anyone who may have given someone a ride in the area to come forward.
Kennett said anyone who was in the area overnight or early Saturday morning, perhaps walking dogs, cycling or jogging, and saw something unusual should contact the police. Even if they consider their information to be insignificant, they should come forward, he added.
The fire would have been an absolute blaze, Kennett stated, and asked for people who may have seen flames or smoke in the area to call the police. “There is a possibility that the killer may have been burnt whilst setting the car alight – they may have suffered singed hair, eyebrows or clothes,” he said, asking people to come forward if anyone they know had appeared with burns.
He also said that the police would ask anyone along the West Bay Road who has CCTV footage of the road area after 11pm to bring that film to the police so they can see if Scott-roberts car shows up.
“This is clearly an extremely difficult time for Estella’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them. This worry has extended into the community and I want to reassure everybody that we are doing all we can to find out what has taken place. I now make anappeal to the public to do the same. If you have any information about Estella’s movements after 11pm on Friday or saw her vehicle or any suspicious activity in the Dykes or surrounding area, I ask you to contact us.”
Kennett said numerous lines of enquiry were being followed including rumours that Scott Roberts had been threatened. He also said that police were looking into the release of a convicted offender from HMP Northward on Friday at whose trial Scott Roberts had given evidence. A police spokesperson confirmed that the prison does not routinely inform the police when it releases any offenders.
Dispelling numerous rumours which have already circulated the police confirm that the Decker’s car park from which Scott Roberts was abducted was treated as a crime scene and forensic evidence taken immediately. They confirmed however that at the scene where the body was impaired by torrential rains destroying any tracks that the murderer may have left. Kennett also said a man arrested in the area on Saturday for drug offences and currently in custody is not a suspect in the murder.
Anyone who can assist should contact George Town police station on 949-4222 and ask for the Criminal Investigation Department or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477.
Police appeal for witnesses
(CNS): The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is appealing for anyone who may have seen Estella Scott-Roberts or her car, a 2007 black Ford Edge (like the car left), license plate number 129-257, after 11.30 pm on Friday night 10 October. Police said that the burned vehicle found in the Dykes in West Bay is her car, and while the body found inside has still not been identified, police said they have not been able to locate Scott-Roberts.
The investigation into the discovery of the body continues, and police said that the vehicle which is registered to Scott-Roberts has now been removed from the scene for forensic examination and the remains taken to the morgue. A forensic pathologist from the United States is expected to arrive in Cayman tomorrow Sunday, 12October, to carry out a post mortem on Monday.
“The body in the vehicle has been very badly burned,” said Senior Investigating Officer, Chief Inspector Peter Kennett. “At this time it is not possible for us to confirm the identity of the victim.”
Police said they have not been able to locate Scott-Roberts and are appealing for sightings of her or her vehicle. She was last seen leaving Deckers Restaurant on West Bay Road sometime between 11 and 11.30 pm last night. However, nobody saw her drive from the car park.
“Somehow, Mrs Scott-Robert’s vehicle got from Deckers to the Dykes,” said Kennett. “It’s vital that we trace the last movements of her and her car and appeal for anyone who may have seen her vehicle prior to it being found this morning to come forward.”
Anyone who can assist should contact George Town police station on 949-4222 and ask for the Criminal Investigation Department or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477.
The police investigation began this morning after Scott-Roberts was reported missing. Her cell phone was traced to the West Bay area and a search commenced. On the request of the police, officers from the Department of Environment assisted with the search of the Dykes, due to their intimate knowledge of the area, and it was one of these officers who located the vehicle and called 911. Detectives are continuing their investigations this evening and anticipate a further update for the community and the media in the morning.
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling crime stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.