Top things to know
- Dominica's Police Commissioner Lincoln Corbett says Jamaica has given approval for DNA samples to be sent to a laboratory there.
- The testing is intended to confirm whether remains found in Capuchin on August 12, 2026, are those 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 her death.
- Corbett says an officer will hand-deliver the samples rather than use courier mail, and that the analysis is a central part of the case for prosecution.
ROSEAU, Dominica — Dominica's Police Commissioner Lincoln Corbett says Jamaica has approved the receipt of DNA samples for testing, as investigators seek to formally confirm that remains found in Capuchin are those of 16-year-old Jerbiah Paul.
Corbett said the samples will be carried to a laboratory in Jamaica by a police officer rather than sent through courier mail, a decision he described as necessary to protect the integrity of the evidence. "We're making sure that an officer delivers it by hand to the analyst," Corbett said. He explained that the process required a permit before the officer could travel with human remains samples, and that the necessary paperwork has now been completed. "It's just a matter of securing a flight for the officer to travel with the samples," he said.
Paul was last seen at her home on July 24, 2026, and was reported missing the following day. A decomposed body was found at the bottom of a precipice in Capuchin, north of Roseau, on August 12. Four people, including active police officers, have been charged in connection with her death.
Corbett said police are confident the remains are those of the teenager, but that DNA analysis is required for evidential purposes. "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," he said. He noted that dental records were not available as an alternative means of identification, leaving DNA analysis as the route investigators are pursuing.
The commissioner described the identification as a central element of the prosecution. "It's very critical, it's a central part of the case. We must establish the identity of the remains that will strengthen the whole case in terms of prosecution," Corbett said. He added that he expects the analysis to confirm what police already suspect.
Corbett also said police are reporting a reduction in homicides this year compared with last year, and that seven of the 10 murders committed so far this year have been solved.