Police seek more test results after UK officer’s autopsy

The vehicle that was recovered in the tragic incident.

More test results are being sought following an autopsy conducted on the body of Detective Sergeant Paul France, a UK national who served as a member of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).

A pathologist was expected to arrive in the territory last Monday to perform a postmortem for France. Police said they are now awaiting further test results in the investigation before coming to the public about the detective’s cause of death.

France’s lifeless body was recovered from an SUV found submerged just off the rocky shorefront area adjacent to the parking lot opposite the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital.

“Precisely what occurred is not yet clear,” Governor Rankin said at a security press conference following France’s death. “I can state that there is so far no evidence that his death was a result of foul play.”

The Governor’s comments were mirrored by Police Commissioner Mark Collins, who explained at the time that an investigation was ongoing into the detective’s death and suggested that it was unlikely that France committed suicide.

“I have nothing at the moment that suggests that any foul play has taken place. We have trolled CCTV. We have eyewitnesses. We have spoken to the people that he was with immediately before,” Collins stated.

He added: “I’m not going to go into the investigation because the file will be made available, of course, to the Coroner’s Court, but to answer your question, I don’t think he’s the type of guy that would have committed suicide.”

Collins also revealed at the time that there would be an examination of the vehicle by a vehicle expert who would look at the transmission and other issues in relation to the vehicle in the hope of determining what happened. Police have not disclosed whether this examination has since been completed.

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