Almost six years after she was killed at her residence on The Morne, Kimberly De Leon’s murder is yet to be solved. But authorities are still pursuing the matter, Police Commissioner Cruscita Descartes-Pelius said at a press conference recently, noting that the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) is “putting pressure” on the Attorney General’s Office.
De Leon, who left behind two children (she was killed on October 29, 2018), was reportedly shot multiple times at her residence. The case drew much attention and also much public ire as many felt that it was moving at a snail pace. (Moreover, some individuals believe De Leon did not get the justice she deserved.)
But according to the police commissioner, De Leon’s murder has not been placed on the back burner.
Descartes-Pelius told reporters the Kimberly De Leon matter “is under investigation at this stage.”
“There is a critical part of this investigation that cannot be conducted by the local police, it’s being done by external entities so we are hoping that we can get this (at) the soonest. We are putting some pressure on the Attorney General’s Office to get this information for us but as it is now we are not in control of this part of the investigation,” she said.
De Leon’s murder has been a sore spot for her family members, since she was killed, especially her mother, Mary Williams, who has been relentless in her pursuit for justice.
“But will I ever get justice?” Williams said in a 2021 interview. (De Leon was as an accountant by profession prior to her passing).
The RSLPF also touched on other topics including domestic violence which continues to be an issue locally.
Luke Defreitas, Superintendent in Charge of the Major Crimes Unit said the RSLPF gives due attention to domestic violence situations like other matters.
“We approach every matter that is reported to the police with the same intensity. We do not give extra effort to any category of crime over the other. What may be different is the circumstances under which these crimes occur. Some are more complex in nature,” Defreitas said, whilst others “are more hidden.”
For some, he added, “the evidence is forthcoming” and others are “more difficult to uncover… so a number of variables will play with regards to our efforts to solving certain types of crime, whether it be property crime, sexual crimes and so on.”
“It all depends on the nature and circumstance of that crime – witnesses who were available, the evidence available, (etc.),” he noted, adding that “some of our sexual offences are pending results of forensic analysis and we are very hopeful that we can move forward with some of these cases one way or the other, upon receipt of results from our lab.”
According to him, the Forensics Lab (which was upgraded recently) has helped law enforcement officials immensely.
Regarding Arnold Joseph’s killing, (a 17-year-old student who was shot and killed by police in May 2019) Descartes-Pelius told the press that she is “waiting to have some more discussion” on the matter.
“I’ll have some more discussion with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in particular and at a later date we can brief you,” the police commissioner said.
How much of a setback does the DPP’s office have on police investigations?
Descartes-Pelius merely stated that “the DPP’s office and police work together. There is good collaboration, good discussion, and also when a matter is to be dealt with when we are ready with it, both parties can… move forward with the investigation but we have had good collaboration.”
“Let’s not forget Joseph”, the National Youth Council (NYC) said shortly after his passing.
The Council (in 2020) in a press release called for renewed interest, accountability and justice for the unsolved case of Joseph who was only 17 when he was killed.
In its release the NYC noted that “Friday, May 22nd marked one year since Arnold Joseph, a student of the Entrepot Secondary School was fatally shot by police officers who responded to a fleeing vehicle considered ‘suspicious’ by law enforcement.”
“The ambiguity associated with the on going investigation is most worrying for the Saint Lucia National Youth Council as it causes us to inquire the reasons and possible corrective mechanisms for the slowness of criminal investigations involving law enforcement in Saint Lucia. We recognize that there are striking
similarities in the dispensation of justice between this and the case of 22-year-old Chakadan Daniel who was found dead while in police custody in October 2013,” the NYC stated.
While investigations require due process, the NYC added that there is a responsibility “on state institutions to regularly update citizens on ongoing investigations, ensuring transparency, accountability and closure to the affected families. Failure to do so will lead to dwindled public trust and the eventual deterioration of relations between youth and law enforcement.”
How long will it take ‘til justice prevails? That question, like many, is still left unanswered.
Joseph’s Mother, Joanna, in March 2023 said she is “hoping that the new police commissioner is going to make something happen.”
“The last I heard is that the investigation is done but the file is at the DPP’s office and that the next step is for the DPP to contact me,” she said in an interview.
A society hellbent on solving crime only through eyewitness accounts will have limited success in its pursuit of justice. In addition, St. Lucia does not have a reputable history of due process of law. I need not elaborate. We, the people, are being served by lazy and unmotivated civil servants who take very little interest in discharging their duties efficiently. Sometimes, the laziness stems from political interference and a lack of interest in the job.
Justice delayed is justice denied; St. Lucia has an excellent reputation for denying justice to its citizenry. I am an eternal optimist however on the current trajectory of the DPP, it’s challenging for me to see those murdered individuals get justice. When people are denied legal and procedural justice in court, vigilanty or street justice takes precedent.