Wed, 2009-04-29

The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) can now confirm the death of 55 year old St. Claire McDonald Augustus of Pembroke parish and would like to take this opportunity to express our condolences to the family and close friends of the deceased.

The Bermuda Police Service would also like to offer a sincere apology to the family of Mr. Augustus for any distress caused in relation to the comments in today’s (Wednesday, April 29th) Royal Gazette front page article about the deceased.

Approximately 4am on Monday 6th April 2009, police officers and fire fighters responded to a structural fire at a derelict house located on Washington Street in Pembroke parish.

After the fire was extinguished a search of the building revealed the lifeless body of an unknown male. Once death was certified by a physician, both police and fire investigators conducted an examination of the scene and as a result of their findings the cause of death was deemed to be suspicious and a murder investigation was commenced immediately.

A forensic pathologist conducted an examination of the body and samples were retrieved for identification purposes. This process was inhibited due to various complications, as the condition of the body did not lend itself to the normal ID methods. Police officers from the BPS Serious Crime Unit under the direction of Chief Inspector Antoine Daniels commenced immediate investigations into this matter.

To date a number of witnesses have provided assistance to detectives conducting investigations into this tragic incident and the Bermuda Police Service would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all those persons who have thus far come forward.

Police are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry while seeking further public assistance and wish to make the following appeal for anyone with any information or sightings of the victim St. Claire Augustus (pictured right) during 2009; in particular on/about or after February 21, 2009 which is his last recorded sighting.

Additionally, any person(s) who may have travelled along Washington Street between the junctions of Elliott and Dondonald Streets during the above dates and may have seen anything suspicious; as well as any persons who may have or heard any information regarding the circumstances of Augustus disappearance and subsequent death; or who may have visited or resided within the Washington Street premises.

Anyone who has any information, whether they believe it to be significant or not, is asked to contact detectives at the Serious Crime Unit on 299-4315 or the confidential Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-623-8477.

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