ST. LUCIA-Minister condemns latest murder of a woman in St.Lucia.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC -ST. Lucia’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Sustainable Development, Lisa Jawahir, Monday, said the government would continue to support the development of women here as police continue their investigations into the discovery of a body believed to be that of a woman reported missing last week.

“ I want to express my sincere condolences to the families who have lost women. Too numerous to mention the pain that you feel as a relative, and I can only imagine how the families feel. So I want to, of course, as a woman first and foremost, express my outrage at what I constantly see out there,” Jawahir told the Weekly Post Cabinet news conference here.

“The fact that some people have no regard for life and believe that it is their right to take it away. Of course, as a policymaker, what is within our purview is for us to ensure that we pass legislation that can protect our women,” she told reporters.

She said that the Phillip J Pierre government would continue to provide various support to women, adding, “You know, this time it’s just heartbreaking to find out that another life is lost, and of course we want to appeal to every single person out there to continue to be each other’s brothers and sisters, to be each other’s keeper, to look out for each other.

“Sometimes it’s easy to judge and cast blame, but nobody deserves that. Nobody puts themselves and raise their hand and say I want to be the next victim and you know I just again want to express my sincere condolences to the family,” Jawahir added.

Police said the Major Crimes Unit has assumed control of an “intensive investigation following the tragic discovery of a deceased female,” adding that it “recognizes the profound anxiety, concern, and pain currently felt across St. Lucian communities regarding public safety and crime.

“We hear the public’s calls for answers and share your urgency. In line with our unwavering commitment to absolute transparency, community trust, and accountability, we pledge to keep the public fully and accurately informed with verified facts as this investigation unfolds,” the police said in a statement.

It said the initial report of the discovery was received last Friday and that, because of the advanced stage of decomposition, a definitive identification could not be made at the scene.

The police said last Thursday they received a report that Merrisa Auguste of Boguis, Babonneau, north of here, had been reported missing 24 hours earlier.

It said that her vehicle, featuring the words “TOP GIRL RIRI” written on the front windshield, was recovered unoccupied and locked in the capital, Castries.

“While preliminary investigations strongly suggest that the missing person is the individual discovered, formal identification has not yet been legally finalized. Out of profound respect for the family’s emotional well-being and the integrity of the process, law enforcement cannot conclusively confirm that the body discovered is that of Merrisa Auguste until science dictates it.”

The police said that justice and accuracy require time and rigorous protocols and that a formal post-mortem examination is scheduled for Monday to determine the exact cause of death, and DNA testing will be utilized to confirm the identity of the deceased conclusively.

“We can confirm that on Saturday, September 12, 2026, law enforcement arrested one individual in relation to this investigation. This individual remains in police custody as the investigation continues.”

The police said that they are handling this matter with the “highest level of professional urgency, transparency, and sensitivity,” assuring the nation that the police “will spare no effort, resource, or avenue in this investigation, even if we have to bring in international experts to assist our teams.

“Our thoughts and deepest empathy are with the Auguste family and all families of missing loved ones during this painful period of waiting. We are deploying every specialized resource to uncover the absolute truth.”

Police are urging anyone who observed any suspicious activity, individuals, or movements near the vehicle to come forward. At the same time, it was parked in the capital to provide information that “will be handled with the strictest level of confidentiality”.

As of mid-September 2026, local news reports and advocacy tracking in Saint Lucia have documented at least four female homicide victims for the year. They include Pearly Ramsay, shot and killed in May during a double shooting, and Joy St Omer, a 24-year-old mother whose estranged husband has since been charged with her death.