Alrae Ramsey, left, and Blair John
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
THE father of Blair John, one of two Bahamian men found dead in an Italian river earlier this month, said he does not accept autopsy results that state his son died by drowning.
The bodies of Alrae Ramsey, 29, and John, 28, were found in the Po River in Turin, Italy, on June 4 and 5 respectively. According to some Italian news outlets, results of the autopsies conducted last week state drowning as the cause of death.
Randolph John, 56, added that if the men indeed drowned, it meant that they were “incapacitated” before being tossed in the river. He also rejected the idea that his son or Ramsey did drugs.
Mr John said: “If I was born three times again I wouldn’t accept that. If it was in fact a drowning then it means that they were incapacitated prior to being thrown in the river. That’s what it would mean.”
Shortly after the men’s bodies were found, John’s mother Cathleen Rahming told The Tribune that he was a strong swimmer and fit.
On June 12, Italian news media reported the anticipated results of the outcome of the toxicological analysis, which stated traces of alcohol was found in the blood of the young men.
“Guess what…Do you reach a PhD status (messing) with drugs? I know my son and I know his friend. They probably might drink a little bit of alcohol but these are civilised persons with their heads screwed on right,” Mr John said.
“Do you reach that point in your life at that age, if you’re not focused?”
When asked if he has seen any updates as to when the men’s bodies could be returned home, Mr John replied: “No. They basically waiting for the death certificate. Can’t move without that.”
John’s father was also asked if he thinks Italian investigators are doing all they can to investigate the matter.
To this, he replied: “Let me tell you: I would reserve my comment, because I have my own comments. But given the facts that we have our persons who have to deal with it through a diplomatic channel first, I reserve my comment.”
Last week, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis underscored his confidence in the Italian authorities’ ability to investigate this case.
These remarks followed an earlier statement he had released, assuring the families of the two young men that the government is doing “everything it can” to ensure that their bodies are returned to The Bahamas “as soon as possible”.
Ramsey, a foreign service officer on study leave in Vienna, was reportedly in Turin on a break. He and his friend, John, were staying at a bed and breakfast establishment at Via la Loggia 2 in Turin.
John, a 28-year-old Saint Mary’s University graduate student, was there to attend a psychology conference.
The men both attended the same high school, Saint Augustine’s College in New Providence.
Mr John added that he has been receiving updates about the matter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but he has been given no information about when the bodies will be returned to the Bahamas.
“The updates tend to be coming from Foreign Affairs,” Mr John said. “They normally call and, at least today said they didn’t have any updates.”
He added that none of his family members are currently in Italy.
When asked for an update yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said there are “no updates” regarding when the bodies of the two Bahamian men will be sent to the Bahamas.
Mr Henfield added that reports that their bodies will be sent this week are “unconfirmed”.
Comments
John 5 years, 5 months ago
Watch what is going on around the world. Poisonings of (American) visitors. The shooting of a famous American sports figure. Seven people arrested and can be held up to a year without charges being filed. But the main suspect remains at large ( like the John Bull robber. Has anybody from THE MASSIVE POLICE RAID on Bimini been charged yet? And with what crimes? And as the demand for oil dwindles oil tankers are set ablaze and unrest embraces oil producing countries, including Nigeria and Venezuela.
joeblow 5 years, 5 months ago
... the average person in Italy, especially a locality like Turin, does not even know where the Bahamas is!
John 5 years, 5 months ago
And your point? Notice you did say, ‘the average person in Italy...’
ashley14 5 years, 5 months ago
It’s all more than coincidence. I wouldn’t go to the Dominican Republic ever again. They seem to be trying to cover it up. Plenty of other beaches.
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 5 months ago
I don't believe they just drowned either. Meanwhile racist attacks are on the rise in Italy as confirmed by Italian authorities in February of this year....
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
As far as the Turin police are concerned, case closed. And you can bet they have their suspicions about what actually happened, suspicions which will never be made public or available to representatives of the Bahamian government.
Fweddy Boy Mitchell will now get to put on a politically motivated hissy-tissy fit show while claiming the Minnis-led FNM government failed to do all that it could do to ascertain what actually happened. And The Tribune will be only too happy to plaster their front page with Fweddy Boy's politically charged claims.
John 5 years, 5 months ago
O if that was two foreign visitors killed like that in The Bahamas, their home country was not buying that ‘drowning ‘ bull crap story. The headlines would be ablaze, the travel advisories would be flying and the country would be swarming with international press and investigators, which is not a bad. Every murder, ok every suspicious death should be fully investigated. But was the investigation into Princess Diana ever conclusive?
ashley14 5 years, 5 months ago
Your right! I don’t believe both boys drowned. Why would someone kill them.
concernedcitizen 5 years, 5 months ago
It is not uncommon for a untrained person , even a good swimmer , to drowned while trying to rescue a drowning person . The person drowning is panicking and pulls both under .As a Capt you are taught to first throw a person something that floats to grab , if you have to go in you approach from their back even if you have to dive under them and come up behind them .
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
Both fell into the Po river, apparently fully clothed with shoes on, but at very different locations along the river. This does not appear to have been a matter of two young frolicking guys deciding to go for a swim in the river on a sunny hot day in their skimpys. Therefore seems doubtful one of them was unable to swim for whatever reason and pulled the other one under with him during a rescue attempt. We will likely never learn exactly what happened, but that's also true for many of the unresolved deaths of foreigners in our own country where the foreign government and family members abroad are left to speculate as to what may have actually happened.
concernedcitizen 5 years, 5 months ago
They were found in different areas , which is not unusual w current weight etc ..I never saw both fell in the river fully clothe but at different locations , where did you see that , and please not Bahamas press lol ..My money would be one fell in or they had a spat ..one got over dramatic jumped in and when the other tried to save him they drowned . If I was to bet I would "think" something like that ..
John 5 years, 5 months ago
When the story first broke, reports were that the bodies had bruises consistent with falling. Then it changed to ‘death by drowning.’ And while there were rumors of a third person being involved and even a third body being found, that didn’t go anywhere. The clear fact is young Bahamians are losing their lives at home and abroad at a much too frequent pace. And Bahamians living or traveling abroad must stay on alert as the world is no longer a friendly or safe place.
concernedcitizen 5 years, 5 months ago
Young Bahamians are killing young Bahamians at an alarming rate at home ..Young Bahamians are not losing their lives at an alarming rate abroad .
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
Thank you.
John 5 years, 5 months ago
That’s what you want us to believe. But YOU and the poster below you and The jackass below that imposter are the real killers. Doing the works of your father, the devil. Have you forgotten that America started wars over illicit drugs? Have you forgotten that America killed one of its own sitting presidents over drugs? Get thee behind me, Satan! Y’all will soon be exposed. The man of perdition will be revealed as well as his workers of iniquity.
bogart 5 years, 5 months ago
Extremely sad...!!!! The two young Bahamian well known to plenty plenty people, sons of the soil untimely passing, autopsies reveals death by drowning which now remain as fact which we have to accept with heartfelt grief. Our PM, leader of our nation has given assurance to many of his confidence Italian authorities are able to investigate the case. Extremely sad at our sons untimely passing....losing such bright lights just snuffed out... young sons of our soil. The greatest eternal remembrance of illustrious sons of our soil untimely passing should be a mighty, laudable, celebration of their lives of the passing of our Bahamian sons of the soil.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
You've got a bit too much "soil" in that head of yours.
bogart 5 years, 5 months ago
..thank you....from dust to dust....'cuse me if da head too big.....lol
John 5 years, 5 months ago
Our sons may die but you will perish
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 5 months ago
Still doesn't answer the questions. On any given day you can find professional people with "traces of alcohol in their system. They're not "accidentally" falling into Nassau harbour after one beer or vodka.
BahamaRed 5 years, 5 months ago
I still say possibly one went in and the other may have jumped in to save him.
Possible robbery and the one was hit and fell in, the other jumped in to save and both drowned
Possible one was clowning around and hit his head and accidentally fell in, the other jumped in to save him.
I can't see how both accidentally drowned, but only one had evidence consistent with a fall.
I suspect foul play on at least one end, with likely scenario the other attempting to save him.
bogart 5 years, 5 months ago
Go to the head of the class Red. ......For now results have by autopsies they were drowned. .........The Italian authorities are investigating...confirmed assurance by senior Bahamian official........Checking situation .....leading under much Bahamian public fully upset...erry possible senarios coming up...speculating.... criminal ..accident...AND..name calling....threats..........AND ERRYONE....STILL ...AWAITING RESPONSE OF RESULTS BY THE PERSONS ON THE SCENE DOING INVESTIGATIONS....!!!!!!!!!!!!.....Very good Red..., but we await in grief and awaiting on Italian Investigators on the scene..
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