Jamaican police are now probing a call received by the family of San Fernando mayor Marlene Coudray, which came from a mobile phone belonging to her slain daughter, Michelle Coudray-Greaves. Sources revealed on Monday night that the call was received shortly after 6.30 pm, an hour after the news that a charred corpse, suspected to be that of Coudray-Greaves, had been discovered in a burnt-out canefield in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
According to the source, the phone call was made to one of Coudray-Greaves' daughters' phones and when a relative answered, the caller remained silent on the other end. He said the call had further traumatised the family, who now believe that Coudray-Greaves may have been murdered by someone she knew. He said the mobile phone had originally belonged to Mayor Coudray who gave it to her daughter so that they could keep in contact.
Reports out of Jamaica said investigators are now looking into Coudray-Greaves' mobile phone call listing, to ascertain her last set of contacts. The Jamaican media reported that Coudray-Greaves, the mother of three, was last seen by her landlady at her St James home, last Thursday, when she came to pay outstanding bills. But friends reported to police that she had not been seen or heard from since.
Shortly after receiving the news that a body had been found, local politicians, including Point Fortin mayor Clyde Paul, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal and Local Government Minister Chandresh Sharma, visited the San Fernando mayor at her Ste Madeleine home.
Coudray, along with her common-law husband, former local government minister Larry Achong, was expected to leave for Jamaica yesterday to search for her daughter, but they have postponed their flight until today. Moonilal, who arrived around 11.30 pm on Monday, after a meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence in St Ann's, described the ordeal as a tragedy.
He said he has known Coudray for a long time, as they are neighbours. "Mrs Coudray has been close to us for many years. It is a tragedy of the highest proportions and I wanted to come down as soon as I can, to express our sympathy," he said. "Mrs Persad-Bissessar has already expressed her sympathy and very deep concern. In fact, earlier in the evening, we also offered prayers to the family at this very difficult time."
Sharma said the Government would be ready to assist Coudray with whatever help is required. "The loss of a loved one is always painful, more so under the circumstances that have been reported to her thus far," he said. "Marlene is really a sweetheart, a mother, a grandmother and a friend to many. "For now, all we can do is just to pray that she obtains the courage and strength to remain focused, now that she has to be both mother and father of these three grandchildren."
