Woolmer might have been murdered
From Orin Davidson in Jamaica
Stabroek News
March 22, 2007
The scary prospect that Pakistan World Cup cricket coach Bob Woolmer might have been murdered is beginning to cloud the environment here with dread, apprehension and total disbelief.
Throughout the day yesterday the revelation by the Jamaica Police that they had enough evidence to treat the coach's death as a suspicious case, turned the issue upside down and speculation ran riot on the causes behind a possible motive.
The developments took a dramatic turn within a few hours on Tuesday when the Police Force upgraded the case from inconclusive to suspicious.
An initial press conference during the day hardly gave any cause for alarm when officials said their autopsy results had not yet been determined. But six hours later, Deputy Superintendent Mark Shields was forced to stage a second briefing to reveal that Woolmer may not have suffered a heart attack which was the widely held belief.
It was after local media started adding fuel to the fire with speculative television reports hinting that the death could not have been natural. Expert opinions on local TV stated that the cause for the histology and toxicology tests (reasons given for the
delayed results) were not needed to determine a heart attack, but rather, for a possible homicide.
At the said time, unofficial sourced reports surfaced stating that unusual marks were discovered on Woolmer's neck, which hints at strangling.
Police officials were unavailable for updates on the case yesterday as journalists virtually camped out at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday where Tuesday's media briefings were held.
Chief Executive Officer of Cricket World Cup 2007, Chris Dehring, wore a grim look at the Pegasus on Tuesday evening after the final briefing. He told local television that security for the competition would continue to be rigorous in Jamaica and in the rest of the host countries.
Fifty-eight-old Woolmer was found unconscious in his Pegasus hotel room with vomit and some blood splattered on the walls on Sunday morning hours after Pakistan suffered a shock defeat to minnows Ireland and were eliminated from the competition.
The team is due to leave Jamaica on Saturday after they defeated Zimbabwe in their final Group game yesterday. They were eliminated after losing their first two games to hosts the West Indies and secondly to Ireland.Woolmer may not have suffered a heart attack which was the widely held belief.
It was after local media started adding fuel to the fire with speculative television reports hinting that the death could not have been natural. Expert opinions on local TV stated that the cause for the histology and toxicology tests (reasons given for the delayed results) were not needed to determine a heart attack, but rather, for a possible homicide.
At the said time, unofficial sourced reports surfaced stating that unusual marks were discovered on Woolmer's neck, which hints at strangling.
Police officials were unavailable for updates on the case yesterday as journalists virtually camped out at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday where Tuesday's media briefings were held.
Chief Executive Officer of Cricket World Cup 2007, Chris Dehring, wore a grim look at the Pegasus on Tuesday evening after the final briefing. He told local television that security for the competition would continue to be rigorous in Jamaica and in the rest of the host countries.
Fifty-eight-old Woolmer was found unconscious in his Pegasus hotel room with vomit and some blood splattered on the walls on Sunday morning hours after Pakistan suffered a shock defeat to minnows Ireland and were eliminated from the competition.
The team is due to leave Jamaica on Saturday after they defeated Zimbabwe in their final Group game yesterday. They were eliminated after losing their first two games to hosts the West Indies and secondly to Ireland.