Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis has conceded that the Donna McKinnon murder was stumping police sleuths but he said they were not relenting in their efforts to find the perpetrator(s).
Stabroek News
July 19, 2001
"Donna McKinnon's death is really a problem for us," Lewis said on GTV 11's Candid Conversation recently.
He described the intelligence reports on McKinnon's death as startling. Some reports suggested she might have been in the area prior to her death, he said. But what was confusing, he said, was that no one saw McKinnon's body being deposited in the yard next to Freedom House, when there were other reports which stated that her body might have been put there.
Lewis said he had suggested to government that a pathologist be brought in from overseas to conduct a transparent examination on McKinnon's body.
Not taking anything away from the conduct of the post-mortem done by the local pathologist, Lewis said this move was suggested because of the nature of the case.
The commissioner pointed out that McKinnon's death was politicised because her body was found in the vicinity of Freedom House - the headquarters of the ruling PPP/Civic - and the obvious feeling was that someone at Freedom House had done the shooting.
Lewis said he instructed that everyone in vicinity of where the body was found be questioned. This included persons in Freedom House, CNS Channel 6, and occupants of a building opposite.
He said that some persons had refused to give statements on the incident but an inquest would have the power to summons everyone who it was felt had some evidence. Instructions were also passed down for the names of all the persons who were at Freedom House that day to be recorded.
McKinnon was shot dead in the empty lot next to Freedom House on April 9. A man was also injured in the back by a bullet.
McKinnon was said to be part of a crowd looking on at a fire, which destroyed several buildings on Robb and Regent streets when the incident occurred.