By: Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St Kitts, June 23, 2019 – One week after the body of an elderly citizen was found dead in her Bourryeaux Village home on St Kitts, an autopsy has concluded that 85-year-old Elva York was strangled to death.
According to reliable information, the autopsy was performed after 1 pm Sunday June 23, by Forensic Pathologist Dr. Alexandrov.
“Dr Alexandrov concluded that death was a result of asphyxia due to manual strangulation,” the source disclosed.
Manual strangulation (also known as “throttling”) is strangling with the hands, fingers, or other extremities and sometimes also with blunt objects, such as batons. … Consequently, manual strangulation may damage the larynx, and fracture the hyoid or other bones in the neck.
As reported Sunday morning, there were concerns that on the same night (June 17, 2019) when the body was found, an effort was being made to cover-up the incident.
“The house was ransacked and a table cloth was over her head, but he (name withheld) was telling the police to say they don’t suspect foul play. The police arguing about (name withheld) lies and what he telling them to do,” a confidential source said on the night of June 17.
On June 18, police in a statement said: “a neighbour of the deceased contacted the Police after attempts to contact the elderly woman failed. Upon arriving to the scene, Police observed the elderly woman lying motionless on her kitchen floor.”
The District Medical Officer examined the body and pronounced the woman dead.
“To determine the cause of death, an autopsy has been ordered and the Police are continuing their investigation into the matter,” the police statement said, but up to Sunday morning, police had yet to give a public statement on whether an autopsy has been performed and its conclusion.
The June 18 police statement did not disclose the name or age of the deceased and no mention was made of earlier reports that she was found tied up.
During the week there were unconfirmed reports that neighbours of the deceased whose name has been given as Elva York, 85, were not cooperating with police by turning over video footage from surveillance cameras.