Deceased found floating on water -Coroner Involved

The police force said the death of James Leonard Snr had been reported to the Coroner – an official who holds inquests into violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths in the British Virgin Islands.

Leonard, who was found afloat in water off Cooper Island, was pronounced dead at Peebles Hospital on Wednesday afternoon (May 17).

Highly placed sources told BVI News Online that a wound was found at the back of his head, but it is not yet clear what caused such laceration.

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), in its first media release on the incident nearly two days later, did not say outright whether foul play is suspected.

“Investigation revealed that the young black male identified as 38-year-old James Leonard Sr of Cooper Island was found floating in the waters off Cooper Island. VISAR (Virgin islands Search and Rescue) and police were summoned, and upon arrival made attempts to resuscitate Leonard, who was eventually transported to Peebles Hospital. There, he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Police are carrying out investigations into the death of James Leonard Sr. The death was reported to the Coroner,” the RVIPF further said in its media release today, May 19.