One man is in custody assisting police with their investigations into the murder of Dominican national Chriss Brewster and her landlord Peter Ferdinand Felix.
According to police, the man was held on Tuesday and taken to the St Joseph Police Station to be transferred to the Homicide Bureau.
An autopsy said Brewster’s throat was slit before her apartment was set ablaze. Felix died from smoke inhalation, police said.
Speaking with the media yesterday at the campus of the University of Southern Caribbean, Onesi La Fleur vice-president of Student Services and Enrolment Management, said Brewster graduated from the school in May.
Brewster earned her Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Finance. He said he was alerted to the tragedy via a text message which simply read: “Student dies in fire, after making checks he learnt it was Brewster. His most memorable recollection of her was her waiting seven hours to see him get approval for a fashion show she was having.
Brewster, he said, wanted to showcase her sewing skills, all of which was self-taught. He was surprised to hear she had died since he assumed she returned home after graduating.
One of her friends told the media that Brewster was a quiet person, always pleasant, had a “bubbly personality” and always had something positive to say. She recalled Brewster having some issues last year with finding a job.
The friend said when she heard of the fire she began making calls to house of the mother of two, thinking Brewster was homeless as a result of the fire.
The firend said as far as she knew, Brewster had no boyfriend or was threatened in any way. Brewster was not a limer she said.
A release from the school said Brewster was an active member in the Dominican Club and was known for her bubbly personality and sense of style.
“She designed and sewed most of her outfits and outfitted several of her friends. She was naturally gifted and had a penchant for fashion. Words cannot express our deep sorrow over this horrific tragedy” the release stated adding that counselling was available for those who need additional support.
An elderly woman, who claimed to be Felix’s distant cousin, said the wheelchair bound man lived with his brother who was partially deaf. It was his brother who lived in a back room in the upstairs of the two-storey house that heard an explosion and realised the house was on fire. He along with neighbours tried to free the man but a latched window prevented it.
“By the time he try to reach back the whole upstairs was on fire already.