Husband demands justice for wife’s death in Tortola

CLUNIS KING, common-law husband of the Trinidadian woman found dead at Lambert Estate, Little Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, is demanding justice following the death of his wife Melissa Spence. King and Spence were supposed to be married next month to cement a nine-year relationship. Yesterday,  King, 29, said he was not satisfied with what he described as the slow pace of the investigation into the death of his wife and has decided to go to Tortola and carry out his own probe. Struggling to hold back the tears in  his San Fernando home yesterday, King said he last spoke with Melissa on September 19, and she was looking forward to coming home. “Melissa was happy and in good spirits, and never indicated to me she was in any danger,” King said. He added that when he called the house where Melissa was staying, (the next day), he was told that she was out.

He said he did not get a response when he telephoned the house on Tuesday September 21 and was told about her death by a relative. He is convinced that Melissa was murdered by someone she knew and he is demanding justice. “I intend to find out who killed Melissa and hand that person over to the police in Tortola, since they snatched away from me, the woman who was my life,” said King. Yesterday marked eight days since the woman was found dead. An autopsy is scheduled for today. The victim’s mother, Ruth Spence, and her aunt, Faith, left for Tortola yesterday to identify the body and to witness the post-mortem.

Her body was found along the shoreline at Little Bay last Tuesday around 11.05 am, and was later identified by the persons with whom she was staying  in Tortola. Formerly of Monkey Town, New Grant, Spence was the mother of four-year-old Israel King. She left Trinidad on April 17 to spend a short holiday in Tortola and to earn some quick cash. The 24-year-old woman was supposed to return to Trinidad on Monday to be re-united with her common-law husband and son. Instead, her body will be returned to this country by the end of the week for burial. Yesterday, Barry W Webb, commissioner of police in Tortola, told Newsday Spence was staying in Tortola illegally. She arrived on the island on April 17 and was granted permission to stay for one month. Webb confirmed that Spence was working in the island as a waitress with a Guyanese woman, who is also staying illegally in the island.