The policeman at the center of the Donna-Lee Donaldson case has been charged with murder in connection to her disappearance.
Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey confirmed at a press conference on Tuesday that Noel Maitland, the boyfriend of Donaldson, has been formally charged.
“His formal charge comes after 20 days of diligent and comprehensive investigations by detectives in what began as a missing person investigation, which, given the evidence that was being collected, subsequently became a murder probe,” said Bailey.
Bailey said over the course of the 20 days, several interviews were conducted, various pieces of evidence were collected, and hospitals and several other premises were checked.
The deputy commissioner said Maitland’s home, Donaldson’s last known location, was also visited and processed by forensic teams.
Bailey said the police are certain that 24-year-old Donaldson was killed, based on evidence collected. Police theorize that the social media influencer was murdered between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12; however, a motive has not yet been determined.
Bailey said investigations would continue as police search to recover a body. The Riverton City Dump was one of the places where a search operation was conducted, but nothing was found. He said police are uncertain as to whether they will find Donaldson’s body.
Maitland, assigned to the St Andrew North Police Division, was arrested last Thursday on Duke Street in Kingston by police officers assigned to the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Division.
Bailey said police have reason to believe that Maitland received assistance in disposing of Donaldson’s body after she was killed. He, however, declined to say whether Maitland’s accomplice(s) are also members of the police force.
Donna-Lee Donaldson was first reported missing to the police on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. She was believed to have gone to spend the night with Constable Maitland before she was reported missing.
According to police reports, on July 11, at about 10:00 p.m., she was picked up at her house by Maitland in a black BMW motor car to spend the night with him at an apartment located at Chelsea Manor.
However, on July 12, Donaldson’s mother, Sophia Lugg, reported to police that she had not seen or heard from her daughter.
Many persons on social media have speculated that Donaldson was part of a love triangle involving Maitland and another policewoman with whom he shares a child. Bailey, however, said there is no evidence to link the policewoman to the disappearance of Donaldson at this time.
Police Commissioner Antony Anderson has warned the Jamaican public to cease spreading fake news surrounding Donaldson’s disappearance and investigation.
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