“Unnatural death” a mystery, say St John residents

Residents of Zores Land, Martin’s Bay, St John are baffled at the sudden loss of one of their own, whose death was reported as “unnatural” more than 12 hours after his son discovered the body.

In a press release, lawmen disclosed that the body of Adrian Ricardo Banfield, 57, was discovered on the floor of his wooden house at around 6 p.m.

According to Police Public Relations Officer, Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss, “an unnatural death investigation” was only launched after a review of the circumstances. Lawmen have provided no further details.

In the quaint rural community, residents indicated that the unusual event unfolded without much fuss and, for them, the circumstances are even more mysterious.

One resident who did not want to be identified indicated that he received a call from as far away as Canada suggesting that someone in the community had been shot. While he initially dismissed the call as a rumour, it was only when he ventured outside briefly that he heard that someone had died, though there was no indication that the person was shot.

The St John resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed the community was a “cool” area where people usually look out for one another.

“If something like that happened out here, somebody has to know,” he insisted.

Another resident said police were asking those living nearby if they had heard anyone struggling or fighting in the house between the hours of 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

“I certainly was not at home around that time, and to be honest, that isn’t a time when people are usually at home,” the resident added.

At a family home in the neighbouring village of Church View, a relative told Barbados TODAY that neither he, nor Banfield’s mother would be offering a comment.

Elsewhere, residents remembered the deceased as a quiet man who loved fishing and would venture to the nearby East Coast religiously to cast his net and/or as many as six fishing lines for hours on end.

Others recalled that in his younger days, he worked at the residential drug treatment centre, Verdun House, and would often be seen riding through the community on a motorcycle.

Visits from his son were said to be a daily occurrence right up until his last day. (kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)