A post-mortem examination conducted yesterday on the body of Tamasha Riddle said she died from deprivation of oxygen after possible suffocation compounded by blunt trauma.
The 22-year-old woman was found dead in her bed on Friday around 8 pm by a close neighbour. Riddle was last seen by her mother Lynette Riddle on Thursday morning after she had accompanied her to the Berbice bus park. The father of Tamasha’s two sons reportedly called Riddle in Berbice on Friday to tell her that he had not seen or heard from her daughter since Thursday. Further, the man said that Tamasha had called him complaining that she had received threatening phone calls from a man. He had asked Riddle to call her daughter.

After calling their home number, Tamasha’s friends and neighbours and receiving negative replies, Riddle called neighbour Judy Mc Calma and asked her to check the house. Upon checking, the woman found Tamasha lying on her back with a pillow over her face. The police were summoned by Tamasha’s uncle, a CID rank who lives nearby and the body was later removed by the Lyken funeral parlour.

Riddle had told Stabroek News that her daughter was due to join her father in the United States shortly. The man is expected home for the funeral.
Police have since held one suspect in the matter. The man was said to be a close acquaintance of the young woman. He was picked up the same night the body was discovered and is still custody. Investigations are continuing.