Chef’s life ends at Checker Hall

The frantic efforts of a terrified wife and first responders were not enough to save the life of renowned west coast chef Dean Butler who died under bizarre circumstances while parked on the Checker Hall playing field in St Lucy.

According to police, the 44-year-old Brit was discovered lying in his car with wounds on both arms “and other areas of his body” at around 11:45 on Thursday morning.

Scores of onlookers in the rural parish who gathered at the scene said they did not know the man who lay lifelessly on the grass beside his Kia SUV. They also could not say who had made the shocking discovery.

Others recalled that his wife, Tanya Butler, was among a group of people trying to revive Butler. But he was pronounced dead at the scene, sending his wife into a state of panic and grief. She later sat in a nearby vehicle and refused to come outside.

Northern Division officers responded to the unnatural death and combed the area for clues before the body was removed from the scene.

Butler was a chef at the Cliff restaurant. Prior to that, he served as Executive Chef at Sandy Lane and served in similar roles at the Lone Star Restaurant among other high-end establishments. He was also the father of two young boys.

As word spread of the grim event, many of Butler’s colleagues from the hospitality industry converged on the scene, some breaking down into tears after their worst fears became reality. They declined to speak with reporters. But a woman who works at his Porters, St James home described Butler as a friendly person.

“Every morning I used to see Mr. Butler and he would shake at me every morning as I was going into work. He seemed like a very nice man,” she said.

For residents of Checker Hall, it is the second time in less than a week the community has been rocked by an unnatural death. Last Friday night, 20-year-old Antuan Connell was shot and killed while at his home.

“Just down there the other day we had an incident with a little young chap and now he has died out there. This thing real dread,” one woman remarked.

kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb