(Trinidad Guardian) The completed autopsy into the cause of death for Shannon Banfield yesterday revealed the 20-year-old was smothered with a towel in the IAM and Company Limited warehouse where she was found.
Last Friday, pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes had stated that the autopsy was inconclusive pending further investigations. Yesterday, Des Vignes finally completed his report after Crime Scene Investigators returned to where Banfield was found and discovered a bloodied towel they suspect was used to end her life and took it back to the FSC for testing.
Now that a cause of death has been determined, police can and have sought advice on whether to charge a suspect in police custody for the death. Without the cause of death, a charge could not have been proffered against anyone, since only the cause of death can determine whether it was a natural or unnatural death.
Up to late last night, investigators were deliberating with Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard SC, on whether or not to charge a suspect in Banfield’s murder.
On Saturday, Matthew Maharaj, a man once deemed a person of interest in the killing, was released from police custody after no evidence was found linking him to the murder.
Maharaj and all other employees were questioned by police and all but one was subsequently released. He and the other man were the only ones whose photographs and names were released by the police as being able to assist them in their investigations last week. On his release, Maharaj called for an apology and questioned how he was going to move on now that his character had been smeared.
The other employee was recently transferred to the Charlotte Street branch of IAM due to staff shortage, company officials said. The man has been employed at the company for the past four months and was transferred about a month ago. Police said they have also seized pornographic material during their investigation.
Banfield, of Mc Carthy Street, Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, was last seen leaving her work place—RBL’s Independence Square branch—around 4 pm last Monday. In a telephone conversation with her mother Sherry-Ann Lopez around that time, Banfield had said she was leaving work to purchase items at the same store (IAM) she was eventually found in. Lopez said she would normally drop off and pick up her daughter from work, but she (Banfield) decided to travel on Monday.
Banfield’s body was discovered hidden under some boxes in company’s third- floor storeroom around 1.30 pm on Thursday by employees who were searching for the source of a strong decomposing scent they believed was a dead rat. Banfield’s purse and shopping bags were found near to her body.
Banfield will be buried today following a church service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Prizgar Road, San Juan.
