ALTHOUGH no one has since been charged for the brutal murder of 18-year-old Raynelle Benfield, the police in ‘C’ Division say the investigation was still active and they had detained and questioned several persons of interest. However, interviewing is ongoing in an effort to locate her killer (s) and the cops say it is just a matter of time before the case is solved.

The young Qualfon Call Centre receptionist was murdered on December 11, 2017, while on her way home. Her mutilated body with her face disfigured was found in a Muslim cemetery along the Beterverwagting Access Road, East Coast Demerara by a passerby, who alerted the police.

A post- mortem performed on the body revealed that Benfield died as a result of crushing injuries to the face caused by a blunt object.

More than seven persons were detained and grilled by the police.

The police reported that the body of Benfield was found about 07:00hrs with her face smashed. The victim was last seen alive about 18:00hrs on Saturday last by her colleagues.

Detectives are of the opinion that she was the victim of a heinous crime in which she knew her attacker (s) and was probably held at gunpoint or knifepoint and was forcibly taken into the cemetery where she was beaten to the point where her face was smashed in.
The body was found with her jeans pulled down almost to her knees and she was still wearing her blouse, while her hands were resting on her stomach near one of the many tombs in the burial ground.
The face of the young woman was unrecognisable.
Sleuths said a handbag which relatives said belonged to the teen was retrieved near the body, but her cellphone was not among the items. The body was found when a passerby decided to check on a strong stench emanating from the cemetery.