FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – This latest development brings into question the status of the four juveniles charged October 10 for manslaughter in connection with the death of Jake Grant, 12. Jake was the first boy reported missing.
Police officials were asked what will happen to the four juveniles, now that the suspect in custody is thought to be connected to all five of the missing boys cases on Grand Bahama.
“Let me be clear in responding to that question,” Assistant Superintendent of Police Ellison Greenslade said. “As a professional law enforcement organization with the best advice from the Attorney General’s Office, all of the decisions we have made to date were fair and correct.
“We are not second guessing ourselves on anything we have done. That [case] is a totally separate matter that is before the courts that we are not going to be able to elaborate on.”
Authorities today called this development a “major breakthrough.”
But officials would not confirm how many skeletal remains have been found.
Reports on Sunday night that bodies had been located spread like wildfire throughout Grand Bahama, with police officials remaining tight-lipped on the discovery throughout the night.
Mr. Greenslade confirmed today that the discoveries took place on Grand Bahama yesterday morning.
He also revealed that investigators were in the process of contacting the families of the island’s missing boys with regard to the discoveries.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Reginald Ferguson said at a press conference today, “We have recovered skeletal remains in connection with these investigations and the individual now in custody is a suspect and is assisting the police with our investigations. The person now in custody is being questioned in connection with all of the missing cases.”
Mr. Ferguson said that forensic scientists, technical experts and scenes of crimes officers were all assisting with investigations on Grand Bahama.
“I am convinced that we are very near to having these matters cleared up so as to allay the concerns of the families of these youngsters,” he said.
“The wider Bahamian community can now breathe a collective sigh of relief because of the current status of these investigations. We are now clearly able to see the imminent closure of what could only be described as a complex, unique and a dynamic series of events.”
Mr. Ferguson said that at this time, authorities cannot say when charges may be filed against the suspect in custody, since forensic information is still being gathered.
Mr. Greenslade dismissed reports printed in local dailies regarding alleged confessions made by the suspect in custody or the positive identities of the remains discovered Sunday morning.
“We cannot be aligned with those statements that you have received,” he said.
Scores of Grand Bahamians gathered at different locations in Freeport last night as they did in weeks past, after hearing reports that the missing boys were located.
The Bahama Journal traveled to the home of Deangelo McKenzie, where a relative stated that family members of the 13-year-old traveled to the island’s morgue to identify his clothing last evening.
Last week, Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson told the media in Freeport that officials had not at that time, received information regarding the whereabouts of Jake Grant’s body.
Sharon Williams, The Bahama Journal
