Bartica grocer was strangled, autopsy finds
Rosella Smith, the Bartica grocer whose body was found in an abandoned mining pit at 3 Miles, Karrau Backdam, Mazaruni last Friday afternoon, was murdered, an autopsy has confirmed.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the police are now treating the case as a murder after an autopsy performed yesterday showed that Smith died as a result of asphyxiation due to manual strangulation.
The autopsy was performed yesterday morning by government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh.
Contacted for a comment yesterday, Commander of Region Seven Linden Lord said that the police are pursuing a “possible” suspect.
The lifeless body of Smith, 28, of Bamford Point, Bartica was discovered around 12.30pm on Friday by a miner who was heading to work. Her camp was subsequently checked and it appeared ransacked.
Smith sold groceries from a makeshift camp, not far from where her body was found.
Stabroek News was previously told that Smith was last seen around 8pm last Thursday at her camp in the company of a man, known as ‘Blackboy.’
The police later received information that “Blackboy” was seen leaving the backdam with a bag and a bucket shortly before the discovery of Smith’s body was made.
Meanwhile, Smith’s former mother-in-law told Stabroek News that she last saw Smith last Monday evening. “The [Child Care and Protection Agency] agent that responsible for her (Smith) tell me that she can’t see the children them with the virus going around but I still let she see them. Last Monday she come but it was after six and the children them went up in their bed already so they didn’t get to see her then. She bring some pholourie, a piece of chicken in a bag and $3,000 for them. She said ‘G’e them children this’”, the woman related.
According to the woman, Smith saw her children whenever she came out from the mines.
The woman further stated that she knew Smith worked as a cook at a camp. However, following the murder, she said she has been hearing that Smith was engaged in a “small business”.