DNA ties killed sex offender to murdered 10-year-old girl in Trelawny
DNA from Shani Coke's body has been matched to Delroy Coke, the convicted sex offender beaten to death by a mob in Troy, Trelawny. Post-mortem results are still pending.
DNA match confirmed in Trelawny child murder case
DNA evidence recovered from the body of 10-year-old Shani Coke has been matched to Delroy Coke, the convicted sexual offender killed by a mob in Troy, Trelawny, following the discovery of the child's body in July, jamaica-gleaner.com reports.
Superintendent Germaine Anglin, crime officer for the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Area One, confirmed the forensic findings to The Gleaner. "The report actually says that some fingernail clippings taken from Shani Coke and some bodily fluids taken from her genital area matched Delroy Coke," Anglin disclosed.
Despite the DNA match, investigators have not yet confirmed whether the child was sexually assaulted. Post-mortem results remain outstanding and are, according to Anglin, necessary to reconstruct the events leading to Shani's death. "That has not been confirmed," he said.
Forensic examination began in July, with results becoming available approximately three to four months later — a turnaround Anglin described as consistent with the laboratory's standard procedures, as DNA analysis involves multiple stages before a conclusion can be reached.
The discovery of the child's body four months ago triggered widespread outrage in Troy. Delroy Coke was subsequently beaten to death by a mob. A second man was assaulted and hospitalised during the unrest, and a house was set on fire.
Anglin welcomed the DNA findings as a significant development. "It is something that we can now put together in order to come to a conclusion and give the family some form of closure by giving them information on what actually occurred," he told The Gleaner.
The police investigation into the mob killing of Delroy Coke remains active. No one is currently before the court in connection with his death, though Anglin said investigators expect to identify persons of interest as enquiries progress.
Source: Google News JM — Crime