Dominica to send DNA samples to Jamaica in missing teen death probe

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — Dominica’s Police Commissioner Lincoln Corbett says Jamaica has given the green light for samples to be sent to a lab there to determine whether the remains of a decomposed body found at the bottom of a precipice in Capuchin, on August 12 this year, is that of 16-year-old Jerbiah Paul.

Paul was last seen at her home on July 24, 2026, and reported missing the following day.

Four people, including active police officers have been charged in connection with the death of Paul and Corbett said that while the police are confident that the remains are that of the 16-year-old, there is still need for DNA analysis.

“She went missing and then here it is, her body was found. We took samples, we did an autopsy and from this we can determine that the body or the remain that was found is that of the young lady.

“We are waiting to send the officer to Jamaica. It’s a process, you have to make a request to the lab in Jamaica or Barbados or elsewhere to get a permit. It takes a while, but we must wait for the permit.

“Now that we have received the permit, he can now travel with samples. He cannot just go and say here it is, I have samples of human remains, I want to test. No, it’s a process,” Corbett said.

“We’ve gotten all the necessary paperwork done and it’s just a matter of securing a flight for the officer to travel with the samples. We have the option to send it by courier mail but we’ve decided we’re not doing that,” Corbett said.

“We’re making sure that an officer delivers it by hand to the analyst. Although we suspect and we believe that the remains that were recovered is that of the young lady, Jerbiah Paul, but for evidential purposes we must confirm it and we will do that by DNA analysis or it can be done by other means, by dental records, but in that case we do not have dental records to check so we are going the route of DNA analysis,” the top cop said.

Meanwhile, the police are reporting a reduction in the number of homicides this year compared to last year. Corbett said that of the 10 murders committed so far this year, seven have been solved.