Murder on island but body is missing

Jeremy Baptist

Twenty-five year old Jeremy Baptist went missing on Sunday night. He had been socializing at a party and never returned to this family. Something went awfully wrong on that night and this afternoon another resident was charged for his murder; but Baptist’s body has not been located. Police, have however, recovered a vessel which they believe was used to dispose of Baptist’s body. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was in San Pedro and spoke to family and other partygoers.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A christening reception among family and friends in San Pedro on Sunday evening has ended in tragedy for a wife and toddler, who lost their loved one to gun violence.  Twenty-five year old Jeremy Baptist, a resident of Boca del Rio, along with his common law wife Danisha Valerio and their one year old son, attended a party that night when he went missing.

Danisha Valerio

Voice of: Danisha Valerio, Common Law Wife of Deceased

“Me and he went to di christening about 8:30 cause I tell he, well he tell me he neva wahn go no way cause he noh di feel good but after all, ih seh, like how we invite dehn people to our christening and all ah dehn attend it, yo know, a wah feel bad fi go round dehn tomaro and I know I noh gaan da di christening.  So I tell ahn aright then, hurry go, buy wahn gift then yo wrap it then wi gwein.  We wah tek wah hour to wah hour and a half then we ah come back cause ah di ker di baby.”

The family of three then proceeded to the gathering at Miguel’s Shop, where they socialized with other partygoers.  Jeremy, according to statements recorded by police, would later get into a heated argument with one of the attendees.  He took his wife and child home before returning to the party.

Luis Castellanos

Supt. Luis Castellanos, Officer Commanding San Pedro Police

“About 10:30 the night, he returned home with her and then returned to the christening and as such he did not return home and as a result she made her report.  Information then started to come into the station that this person by the name of Jeremy Baptist he had been murdered.  As such, we started to focus on an investigation and as such we found out from several witnesses that Jeremy was at this location, Moses Campos’ residence, and an altercation happened between himself and a gentleman by the name of Lucio Salazar.”

What transpired thereafter is, at this point, anyone’s guess.  It is believed that Baptist may have been murdered, his body disposed of in the area of the river and the nearby lagoon.  His wife woke up the following morning and found it rather strange that he had not returned from the party.

Voice of: Danisha Valerio

“Baptist neva did appear and I da like he da noh like this.  One ah my neighba cohn cohn tell me well she just hyah that how dehn shot Baptist three times eena ih head, dehn tek ih body and dehn ker it eena wah boat.  So now I sihdown and I seh this no sound right cause I noh think this wah happen da San Juan cause da San Juan he talk bout everyday.  So I jump pan ah bike, I jump pan wah bike and I seh well I gwein go sih weh I could hyah.  I gaan da San Juan and nobody couldn’t tell me nothing deh, I just ride to town and da so people di ask me weh gaan on with Baptist, you know.

Several searches, in an effort to recover his body, were conducted.  The vessel in which he was reportedly transported and dispensed with was later found; Baptist’s corpse, however, remains to be located.  In the absence of the stiff, instructions were given that Lucio Salazar be charged with murder.

Lucio Salazar

Supt. Luis Castellanos

“We consulted with the D.P.P.’s office and as such she has given us the directive to charge Lucio Salazar for the charge of murder.”

Isani Cayetano

“My understanding is that there were two other accessories or accomplices that helped him to dispose of the body.  Will there be any charges brought against these two individuals?”

Supt. Luis Castellanos

“Well, we are still under investigation as it relates to those two persons.  We have one of them in custody and that part is still under investigation.”

A lot of what has been gathered about the disappearance, the apparent murder and the dumping of Jeremy Baptist’s body is circumstantial.  While they have recovered the launch, it appears to have been thoroughly disinfected.  Despite statements providing an account of what happened, the whereabouts of Baptist’s remains is still a mystery.

Supt. Luis Castellanos

“We have a vessel where we have seen that it has what appears to be blood and we’ll be getting the forensic analyst to come and give us assistance to see if, to verify if it is blood.  From there on we’ll get further directives from the DPP’s office to see how to proceed.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

As the investigation continues, two other persons believe to have aided in the disposal of Baptist’s body are expected to be charged. One is already in police custody and the other is at large.