23.MAR.07

JAMAICA – A high-ranking police officer confirmed Wednesday that fresh evidence has surfaced, suggesting that Pakistan’s cricket coach Bob Woolmer was strangled in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

According to the police officer, the 58-year-old Woolmer was found half naked in his room, partially wrapped in a towel.{{more}}

“A bone in the neck, near the glands, was broken, and this suggests that somebody might have put some pressure on it,” the officer told The Gleaner.

“We are now treating this as a homicide.”

Despite this, Assistant Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington, head of World Cup security here, said he was not confirming any rumours of strangulation.

On Tuesday, an autopsy conducted on Woolmer’s body by Government pathologist, Dr. Ere Sheshiah, proved inconclusive as to the cause of death.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields said then that the police were awaiting the results of the toxicology and histology analysis from Woolmer’s tissue sample.

Late Wednesday, however, a release from the Jamaica Constabulary Force director of communications, Karl Angell, said a second opinion was being sought.

A second pathologist “Following consultations involving representatives from the Government of Jamaica and the police, a decision was taken to seek the opinion of a second pathologist,” the release said.

The Gleaner was told that the police last night interviewed members of the Pakistan cricket team.

It is now unclear whether the team will be allowed to leave as initially scheduled.