21-y-o charged with Bloomfield’s murder

PORTLAND:

SIMEON ANTHONY Sutherland, the 21-yearold man twice detained by investigators probing the death of East Portland Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Lynvale Bloomfield has been charged with murder.

Sutherland was yesterday questioned by investigators in the presence of his attorney, Peter Champagnie, four days after he was rearrested by detectives from the Major Investigation Division in Buff Bay, Portland.

A senior investigator, who requested anonymity, told The Gleaner that Sutherland, who is of a Buff Bay, Portland, address, admitted to having a close relationship with Bloomfield.

The investigator added that Sutherland was very remorseful during the interrogation.

Bloomfield, who was serving his second term on a People’s National Party ticket as MP for East Portland, was found with multiple stab wounds on the morning of February 2 by his helper at his Passley Gardens home in Portland.

FORENSIC TESTS

Detectives sent several pieces of evidence, including two knives and a bloodied vest found along a pathway, for forensic testing.

Sutherland, who was initially picked up a few days after Bloomfield’s death, was interrogated by the police and released.

However, The Gleaner was told that a breakthrough was first made on the morning of February 25 after scientific evidence linked Sutherland to the crime scene.

Additionally, the senior investigator said that one of the knives recovered at the crime scene was bent, which probably explains why a second bloodied knife, suspected to have been used by the killer, was found. The police theorise that the second knife was used to continue the vicious attack on the MP.

Bloomfield, who was 59 years old, was laid to rest on February 23 at Prospect Cemetery.