The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE murder of pregnant C W Saunders Baptist School teacher Marisha Bowen at her apartment on Friday morning might have been the tragic result of a love triangle in which the 35-year-old Guyanese woman was involved, The Tribune understands.

Investigators are probing this, police sources said, as a possible motive for the mother’s death.

While police have confirmed that a man is assisting police in connection with this murder, The Tribune was told that a woman is also being questioned over the incident. The man helping police is a native of Africa, this newspaper was told.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Leon Bethell said police were following a number of leads and had spoken to many people as they try to piece together evidence to bring the case to a close.

Police said the victim was found shortly after 8am on Friday in her apartment by other tenants of a complex on Read Sea Road, off Sumner Street, suffering from a single wound to the body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sources described the wound as a slit to the victim’s throat.

Neighbours were said to have heard screaming from her apartment and it is believed to have led to the discovery of her body, sources said.

Yesterday, a relative of the victim said he remained shocked and heartbroken as he questioned how her 16-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter would cope with the sudden loss. She was three months pregnant at the time of her death, the relative confirmed.

“We are very shocked and hurt by this,” the relative said. “She was loving and caring and this was very unexpected. She will be missed.”

As news spread of her death, condolences and feelings of disbelief poured in on the victim’s Facebook page.

“Mrs Bowen I could remember when I first walked in your class you said that I’m a gorgeous girl,” one Facebook user wrote. “I said thank you (and) she started her class. She was the most funniest and coolest teacher I could of ever had. You always used to make me smile and you loved to dance. Sometimes when I was on lunch I used to come in your class and bother you. Now that you’re gone I don’t have no teacher to bother with. Please come back Mrs Bowen (sic).”

Another Facebook user said: “I just text her to call, please someone tell me this is not true.”

On Friday the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in a statement released just hours after the discovery by police, said school was dismissed early and urged parents to immediately collect students from the school “due to the untimely death of a teacher.”

She had taught at C W Saunders School from 2014.