Anguilla Tourism is in crisis mode about an American murderer or was it self defense?
Allison Muhammad from Anguilla believes: Kenny Mitchell, 27 years old, was murdered by a hotel guest in Anguilla by an American Tourist from Connecticut who claimed he was a thief. Kenny was a building engineer His rich, white, murderer was allowed to leave Anguilla, Hapgood and he is American and is white.”
eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:
In return authorities and tourism officials on this British Caribbean Island called for calm, and a U.S. crisis communication team was on the island to keep this news under control.
The accused American killer Gavin Scott Hapgood, 44, claimed he attacked the maintenance man in “self-defense,” relatives of the victim publicly denied the allegations.
Hapgood was charged with manslaughter and released on $74,000 bond after Mitchel was killed on April 13. According to the death certificate, Mitchel died from “prone restraint, asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and torso.
He left Anguilla for the United States on a private jet. Hapgood was an outstanding member of his community and so was his victim in Anguilla.
Hapgood’s attorney said his client would return to Anguilla in August for his trial.
American tourists on Anguilla noticed a sudden change in the mood of locals against them and tourism officials warned a backlash could seriously hamper Anguilla’s tourism industry.
The Royal Anguilla Police wants locals not to discuss the case and is urging not to discuss this situation with reporters.