The police have found no sign that foul play was involved in the death of Judy Joseph at Waiakabra and are awaiting the post-mortem examination to ascertain how she died, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said yesterday.
Persaud during a brief telephone interview with this newspaper also dispelled reports that the woman’s underwear and pants were pulled down when she was discovered. Residents and relatives had provided this information to Stabroek News.
This newspaper was told that a man who was last seen in her company will remain in police custody pending the outcome of the post-mortem examination. A police official said that while there were no marks of violence on the body, police still have to conduct an investigation to determine how exactly she died. As such, the official said the man has to remain in custody until that is determined.
Joseph, a 56-year-old mother of six was found dead at a shop located at Waiakabra, Linden/Soesdyke Highway just after 4 am on Monday.
Owner of the shop Felicia Pierre had told Stabroek News that the woman spent several hours there on Sunday having drinks to celebrate Mother’s Day. Just after 11 pm, she recalled, the woman’s relatives who were part of the celebration indicated that they were leaving but Joseph remained. At that time, she said the woman was fast asleep but she woke her up.
She recalled that the woman woke up and assured her that she was fit enough to make the walk to her Swan (located on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway) home unaided. As she walked out to the roadway, Pierre recalled that a man named `Joe’ started troubling the woman. She said she hollered on the man and he left on foot in the opposite direction. She then went back to her home.
The following morning when she had finished filling a bucket of water she saw something on the landing in front of her shop and when she shone her torchlight in that direction she saw it was Joseph.
She said that she began shaking the woman and called her name repeatedly but got no response.
Pierre said she did not notice any marks on the body but the woman’s pants and underwear were pulled down below her bottom.
