Cops release Matthew’s Ridge murder suspects

Sep 20, 2014 News

Police have released the three men who were detained in connection with the rape and murder of 32-year-old Samantha Ashby, whose battered body was found at Matthew’s Ridge last Tuesday.

Victim: Samantha Ashby

A senior police official said yesterday that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had advised that the suspects be released.
The case presents a challenge to investigators since police have no eyewitnesses to the crime.
Investigators hope that they can obtain DNA evidence from two used condoms that were retrieved from the crime scene. Kaieteur News was told that samples for DNA testing were also taken from the suspects.
But testing is likely to be a lengthy process, since the samples would have to be sent overseas.
Police had taken the suspects into custody after receiving reports that they were seen drinking with Ashby at a Matthew’s Ridge shop some hours before she was murdered.
Two of the men are truck porters while the third is a miner. Police are said to be still seeking a fourth man.
Ashby, of Pakera, North West District, was discovered in a clump of bushes at Matthew’s Ridge at about 10:45 hrs on Tuesday.
A post mortem performed by Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh showed that Ashby died from multiple injuries, which include a broken hip and fractured skull.
Relatives of the slain woman also said they were told that Ashby was sexually assaulted.
Ashby’s relatives blamed police as well as staff at the Port Kaituma hospital mortuary. They alleged that the body started to decompose because persons responsible for its storage had apparently failed to ensure that the freezer was switched on.
Ashby was scheduled to be laid to rest at Matthew’s Ridge yesterday.

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