Man allegedly confesses to slitting woman’s throat

UPDATED:

A 24-year-old St Joseph man has allegedly confessed to police that he slit the throat of his girlfriend, whom he had been dating for a month, and then set fire to her apartment in Maracas/St Joseph. The suspect was arrested in St Joseph on Wednesday afternoon.

It is alleged, he told police he became enraged after seeing 30-year-old Chriss Brewster, from Roseau, Dominica, with her ex-boyfriend on Monday night.

The man allegedly said he ambushed Brewster at home, slit her throat after accusing her of infidelity, and then set fire to an apartment. Killed in the fire was Brewster’s landlord 88-year-old Peter Felix. An autopsy showed he died of asphyxia consistent with smoke inhalation.

Members of the Homicide Bureau are expected to approach Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC for advice.

Investigators told Newsday they have contacted Brewster’s relatives in Dominica but they are not certain, because of financial constraints, whether they would be able to come to Trinidad to claim her body. The family told police they lost all their belongings with the recent passage of Hurricane Maria which devastated the island.

On Wednesday, the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) School of Business, where Brewster attended from 2012 and graduated with a BBA Finance degree in May 2017, mourned her passing in a Facebook post.

After graduating, the mother of two was seeking employment and earned money as a seamstress. Ex-classmates described her as a quiet individual who was shy with strangers yet very bubbly and friendly with those she knew. USC administrators said she was a determined and focused go-getter.

Contacted yesterday, the Dominican Government told Newsday they were not aware of Brewster’s murder but says it is customary when a national dies in another country, the government would do what they can to have the body returned to the island. Close friends and relatives here have begun making arrangements to pay their final respects. Newsday was told Brewster’s cousins, who attend the USC, went back to the Forensic Science Centre in St James to finalise paperwork for the release of her body.

With additional reporting by Ryan Hamilton-Davis.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Dominican national Chriss Brewster had her throat slit from ear to ear, an autopsy done yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday revealed.

Brewster’s remains were found in her apartment home on the ground floor of a two-storey house in Maracas/St Joseph on Monday night. Police also found the charred remains of Peter Felix, 88, who owned the house and was Brewster’s landlord. An autopsy showed that he died of asphyxia consistent with smoke inhalation.

A post yesterday on the University of the Southern Caribbean School of Business’s Facebook page stated: The University of the Southern Caribbean, School of Business mourns the passing of our Alumna, Chriss Brewster who who died on Monday night. Ms Brewster attended USC from 2012 and graduated with our BBA Finance degree in May 2017. Our condolences go out to the family, friends and classmates of Ms. Brewster. We wish you God’s strength as we all weep in this time of sorrow.”

Brewster, 30, lived in Trinidad for the past five years while she studied for her degree. The mother of two was looking for work and in the mean time, earned money as a seamstress. Ex-classmates yesterday described Brewster as a quiet individual who was shy to strangers yet very bubbly and friendly to those whom she knew. USC administrators said she was a determined and focused go-getter.

Brewster had a love for fashion and a great sense of style. She was a self-taught seamstress, who had been making her own designs and launching fashion lines even while she was studying for her degree.

“When I heard the house had burned down, I tried calling her to see if she needed a place to stay,” said a friend who asked not to be named. “I was worried she lost all her equipment and designs, but I was still thinking she was safe. She was not the type to go out and lime or get a boyfriend. She didn’t have time for that.

But you could call her last minute and within an hour she would be able to put together an outfit for you to go to an event,” the friend said.

The fire was seen at 10 pm Monday night. After firemen doused the blaze, they came across the charred remains of Brewster and Felix. Felix, who was confined to his bed, rented out his house to tenants in order to make ends meet. He also had a brother who lived in a room at the back of the house. Police yesterday said they are treating both deaths as murder and are continuing investigations.