Police hold man in connection with murder
A man is in police custody after the murder of Sandys resident Marco Perinchief on Saturday.
Mr Perinchief, 49, was found unconscious on a grass verge on Clyde Best Lane in Sandys on Saturday morning.
He was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
At a press conference yesterday, police did not reveal the nature of Mr Perinchief’s injuries or if any weapons were involved.
But Acting Chief Inspector Jason Smith did confirm that, following inquiries, a 47-year-old-man, also from Sandys, was arrested and was in police custody.
Mr Smith said: “As the officers were at the scene a man was identified to them as the assailant that was involved in this fight with Marco Perinchief.
“The officers arrested that man and he has been taken into police custody.”
Mr Smith added that officers were waiting for the results of a post-mortem examination before a cause of death would be made public.
Mr Smith confirmed that detectives were reviewing CCTV footage of the scene in the course of the investigation.
He appealed to any members of the public who may have filmed the altercation to come forward.
He said: “There are two incidents that are of interest to this investigation.
“There’s an incident that took place on Somerset Road next to the junction with Hook And Ladder Lane, which from our inquiries might be what started the second incident involving Mr Perinchief and the man that has been taken into police custody.
“We’re also aware that at that particular scene – Somerset Road, Hook And Ladder Lane – there were a number of persons who were present and who might have witnessed the altercation that took place at that location.
“Anyone who was there, anyone who might have filmed, that is important to our lines of inquiry and we are inviting you to make contact with us.
Government senator Lindsay Simmons condemned Saturday’s killing and urged anyone with any information to contact the police.
Speaking in the Upper House yesterday, Ms Simmons pointed out that the murder took place only yards from where youth football teams were playing a match.
“We have become so desensitised that … our children are going to need therapy for what they are witnessing.
“We need to understand that not only are we killing our own people but we don’t even care who is around any more.
“Murders were far and few between. Now, it’s just ‘oh, somebody else has passed’. It’s affecting our people, it’s affecting them deeply.
“I don’t know many people in my circle that aren’t affected personally about someone that’s been murdered.
“We need to put our feelings aside and speak up … and tell somebody, because people know what’s going on. People know who’s doing these murders. People know where the guns are.
“So, we need to stop and realise that soon we are going to have very few Black men – and I’m sorry to say but it is our Black men who are dying – very few Black men to pick from because if they are not being locked up they are being murdered.”
“We are aware from our inquiries that at the time of that particular assault there was a football game that was being played at the Somerset Cricket Club and that there might have been persons at the club who might have witnessed that particular altercation on Clyde Best Lane.
“For clarity, there was nothing that took place inside the club grounds that is of interest to the investigation. The incident happened outside the club grounds.
“From our inquiries we do believe that there were persons present at the club grounds who might have filmed the incident that was taking place on Clyde Best Lane and any information that you can provide to us is of great importance.
“We are making this appeal today for those persons within our community that have any information that can help us bring clarity to this investigation to please make contact with us.”
The Minister of National Security Michael Weeks said: “It is with great sadness that I express my sympathies to the family and friends of Marco Perinchief.
“Such a tragic and senseless loss of life should never have happened and my thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Bermuda Police Service, who are currently investigating this incident. I want to assure the public that those responsible will be held accountable.
“Let us all work together to ensure the safety of our community and protect one another.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Acting Detective Sergeant Anneka Donawa on 717 2250 or by e-mail at adonawa@bps.bm, or call CrimeStoppers on 800 8477.
Mr Perinchief’s death is the second murder of the year. In February, Kyari Flood, 23, was shot dead in Pembroke.
