Police have arrested a 35-year-old Devonshire man in connection with the murder of Ruth Binns whose body was found yesterday morning in Southampton.

Ms Binns, 26, also known as Ruth Dill, was discovered in her in Camp Hill Road apartment yesterday — just three weeks before her family mourns the anniversary of the stabbing death of her brother.

Police got the call at 7.50 a.m. and a doctor arrived on the scene and certified the death at 9.05.

“He is still in custody assisting Police with their inquiries.”

Police refused to speculate on the cause of death ahead of post mortem later this week to be done by a forensic pathologist.

On October 16 last year, Edward Dill — understood to be Miss Binns brother or half-brother, was found stabbed to death. Andrina Tamara Smith, 26, of Cedar Park Road, Devonshire, has been charged with his murder.

She is due to appear at the next Supreme Court arraignments session on Monday.

Miss Binns lived in an apartment at the corner of Camp Hill with the Railway Trail, just off Middle Road.

Yesterday, Police cordoned off a 100-metre stretch of road while family and friends gathered to grieve. As forensics officers examined Miss Binns’ apartment and the surrounding area, relatives walked to the Southampton Seventh-day Adventist Church to pray and comfort each other.

Standing in a circle holding hands, Pastor Llewellyn Williams told them: “Save us from ourselves, save us from the anger.”

Shortly before 12 noon forensics officers removed the body of Miss Binns for a post-mortem examination.

One neighbour said: “I’ve been living in this neighbourhood for 25 years and we’ve never had anything like this happen around here before. But sometimes, if you’re in a neighbourhood, you don’t even know what’s really going on.”

Another neighbour, Elizabeth Dore, 42, said: “I am very, very shocked. I am just two doors away. I didn’t hear anything. She was a nice young lady, very quiet. She would always say ‘hi’. I will miss her very much.”

Miss Binns was a former student of Bermuda Institute in Southampton. Superintendent of Education Sheila Holder, who was the school principal when Miss Binns was a pupil, described her as a “bright young lady”.

“She liked having fun. She was a regular young lady. She had some very good friends here,” said Mrs. Holder.

“I actually remember her. She smiled a lot — that’s what I remember.”

Mrs. Holder said staff had been discussing their memories of Miss Binns after news broke of her death yesterday morning.

“The teachers were informed what had happened and we had prayers,” she said.

“I talked with a couple of her teachers. They all said she was very respectful; a good student who got along well with her peers and her teachers.

“The Bermuda Institute family want to give their heartfelt condolences to the family. It is a very sad time for them. We would offer our support in any way we can.”

Pastor Williams said Miss Binns’ family spent most of the afternoon sharing their memories of her with others. He said the church had opened up its doors to hundreds of mourners.

“We were asked by the Police department to open up our church so people could have a place to come and grieve,” he said. “There have been a couple of hundred who have come by, and several pastors have also come by.

“The family is bearing up but it’s just so early, so it’s hard in terms of them accepting what has taken place. But they are dealing with it,” said Pastor Williams.

“This afternoon they’ve been talking about her, what type of person she was and reminiscing about all the good times. They’ve been giving support to each other and we’ve just been there for anyone who needs some support. The atmosphere has been very sombre and there is a feeling of disbelief.’’

Pastor Williams said the community was still reeling from the death of Shaki Crockwell, also 25, on August 24. Mr. Crockwell was shot dead along the Railway Trail near Loyal Hill in Devonshire.

No one has been charged in connection with his death.

Pastor Williams said that Miss Binns’ family and friends had described her as “someone who laughed a lot”. “She was the kind of person who was very easy-going and got along with people, a very amenable kind of person,” he said. “She was kind and generous and that is why they can’t understand how something could happen to her.”

Michael Leverock, CEO of CellularOne, where Miss Binns worked as a customer care representative, said in a statement yesterday: “It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of one of our employees, who died suddenly on Monday evening.

“The thoughts and prayers of everyone at CellularOne are with the employee’s family during this difficult time.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to call them on 299 4315 or call the confidential crimestoppers hotline on 1 800 623 8477.