Donna Baronville

Donna as she was affectionately known to co-workers at the Caribbean Insurers Marine Limited and close friends, was gunned down in a hail of bullets at her home at Elliot Hodge Apartments located at Freebottom, Road Town on Monday evening.

She would have been 35 today and was deeply involved in organising a marriage enrichment weekend at her home church, the New Testament Church of God in Baughers Bay .

Her plans coincided with Valentine’s Day, which would have seen several partners renew their vows during the weekend. She had intentions doing so as well. 

Instead of celebrating all these accomplishments, relatives and friends are preparing for her funeral even as police officials search for her killer and a possible motive for her death.

According to police sources, Baronville was shot on the porch of her apartment at about 10:00 p.m., while her daughters and husband were indoors.

Contacted yesterday, her husband declined to comment, stating that the police was handling the investigations.

However, according to a relative, Donna spent her last birth night quietly at home with her husband and two daughters - ages 11 and 14.

The relative, who asked not to be named in this article, said Donna was not keen on celebrations and for her birthday last year, she had dinner at home with her family after her workmates had presented her with a bouquet of flowers earlier that day.

Baronville, a Trinidadian living on Tortola for a few years, was employed as a marine insurance underwriter for Caribbean Insurers Marine Limited and started out at the company on June 15, 1999.

The friend also related that Baronville was an “easy going person”, who was affectionately respected by all who came to know her, especially the congregation at the New Testament Church of God.

Bishop Ishmael Charles told the StandPoint from Florida that Baronville was a very honest person and an inspiration to the church, especially among youth.

Bishop Charles said she was working with the marriage enrichment team of the church and was particularly keen on encouraging couples to live closer to God.

“She was a blessing to the entire church. She was a jovial person who had a lot of desire to see the church develop into its maximum benefits for everybody. But more than that, it was her desire to have a lot of couples saved as was the case with her husband,” Bishop Charles said.    

Detective Chief Inspector, Tom Murray is adamant that someone may have seen something suspicious on the night Baronville was killed, and he is appealing for witnesses to come forward with information that can help police crack the case wide open.

“We implore people to come forward with any information they might have. There were a number of gunshots and there is no doubt that someone would have seen something. We can guarantee the protection of witnesses. They can contact me or inform their local Police or contact the confidential hotline 1-800-744 -8477,” Inspector Murray stated.

Baronville’s husband, who was at home at the time of the shooting, was escorted that same night to the Road Town Police Station for questioning and was later released.

Shortly after the shooting, Baronville’s ex-husband arrived on the scene and took custody of the two children, which they shared custody. The gunshots shattered the relative calm of the community, echoing throughout several surrounding communities and sent neighbours scurrying for cover.

“All I hear is a set of gun shots and I tried to get inside my house because I weren’t sure where the shooting was coming from. The next thing I hear is screams coming from Donna apartment. Whoever did this is a beast,” one angry neighbour said.

Several neighbours that stood behind a police cordon in front of the apartment building recalled hearing screams shortly after the shooting.

“It had to be Donna children screaming and crying and they were saying to call police. It’s hard on them girls…my heart go out to them. This is just too sad to think that this would happen here, in Tola,” another neighbour stated.

Several curious onlookers, who also heard the gunshots, joined neighbours at the scene.

Baronville’s co-workers consoled each other at another police cordon established several yards from the scene of the shooting.

Top executives Caribbean Insurers Marine Limited met with employees early Tuesday morning and issued a prepared statement to the media.

“Donna was a dedicated hard-working employee. Her energetic personality and joy of life was apparent to all her co-workers and customers. A loving mother, she always had a smile for those with whom she came in contact. She was a true asset to the company and she will be dearly missed. Our sincere sympathies go out to her family,” the statement noted.

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