Dominican Police Officer Charged With Murder of Missing Teen Jerbiah Paul

A Dominican police officer has been charged with murdering 16-year-old Jerbiah Paul, whose decomposed body was found in Capuchin weeks after she vanished.

Police Officer Charged in Murder of 16-Year-Old Jerbiah Paul

A serving officer of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force has been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Jerbiah Paul, antigua.news reports, after the teenager's decomposed body was discovered in Capuchin on Wednesday — nearly three weeks after she was first reported missing.

The accused, Jean-Luc Rudy Langlais, appeared before the court Thursday morning and was remanded to prison. Jerbiah, who was from the Portsmouth area, had been missing since July 24. Her disappearance prompted multiple searches, with relatives, law enforcement officers and community members holding out hope she would be found alive.

"One of Our Very Own Did This"

At an emotional press conference on Thursday, Acting Chief of Police Lincoln Corbette confirmed that the charged individual was an active member of the police force.

"One of our very own did this," Corbette declared.

He stated that the officer was arrested in the course of the investigation and subsequently charged on the basis of evidence gathered by investigators. Corbette made clear that the police force would extend no protection to any of its members suspected of involvement in murder, disappearance or other serious criminal conduct.

"Even if it is one of us, we will spare no effort. No stone will be left unturned to ensure we get to the bottom of the matter," he said.

National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmoore was visibly emotional during the press conference as officials addressed the teenager's death and its impact on her family and on Dominican society more broadly.

International Support for the Investigation

The investigation drew assistance from several regional and international partners, including the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Embassy and the Regional Security System. Local telecommunications companies also reportedly provided support to investigators.

Police had previously indicated that the accused officer was believed to have been the last person seen with Jerbiah around the time of her disappearance. Reports suggested the two knew each other, though the precise nature of their relationship has not been officially confirmed.

Jerbiah's remains were recovered from a precipice in Capuchin on Wednesday, ending weeks of searching and dashing hopes across Dominica that she would be returned safely to her family.

Investigation Continues

Corbette warned that anyone found to have played a role in the teenager's murder or disappearance — or to have obstructed the investigation in any way — would face the full force of the law. Authorities have indicated that the investigation is ongoing despite the murder charge already being laid.

The case has drawn widespread grief across Dominica, where the disappearance of the young girl from Portsmouth had gripped the nation for close to three weeks before her body was found.

Source: Google News DM — Crime