Man arrested in death of elderly woman in Great Pond
Police use caution tape to surround the scene where the body of a woman was found in Great Pond, St Ann on Monday morning

ST ANN, Jamaica— The St Ann police have arrested a man in connection with the death of 73-year-old Elise Russell, who was found dead in Great Pond, St Ann on Monday.

Police report that around 6:40 am, Russell's body was found on the compound of a business establishment in the community.

READ: Body of woman found in Great Pond, St Ann

Head of police operations for the parish, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Francis said one person has been taken into custody but no charge has been laid.

"So earlier this week we had a situation of a death investigation in Great Pond where an elderly female was found dead in the community. We have since made some headway and one person was taken into custody and investigations are currently underway at this time. We do not wish to give too much details to prejudice the quality of the investigations, but the investigations are ongoing and we're hoping for a breakthrough as soon as possible," he told OBSERVER ONLINE.

The normally quiet community was in total shock and disbelief after news of the death, with a number of residents highlighting their love for Russell who was also known as Dorothy.

Adrian McKenzie, who said he knew her from he was child, said she was popular among the residents.

"Dorothy Russell was loved by the whole community man, shocking…this shocking to everybody and them woman deh a icon, me grow up come hear say dem woman deh a the prettiest woman ina the world…it sad man it sad," he said.

"Me aunty go walk and rise me up and a tell me wah gwaan and she walk every morning and Dorothy rise every morning too, and me just come out and a that me come see," he recalled.

He pointed out that Russell also had a strong love for music.

"A yah dem born and grow all if them wah go foreign and come back…Dorothy known fi har cash pot selling and har singing that she known for, everybody respect Dorothy bout yah, every person ina Great Pond, it sad…cause it no fair trust me," he noted.

The distraught resident had a word for anyone who might have been involved in her death.

"No bad deed goes unpunished enuh, no bad deed goes unpunished," he warned.

In the meantime, Sharon Peart, a friend of Russell noted that the now deceased woman got along well with everyone.

"She was a people person very nice, jovial lady a community [person] everybody in the community love har, she no gi no trouble and if she no like something she will tell unuh two bad word and a it that…very humble though," she said.

This is the second murder in the normally quiet community in the space of a month. In February, 62-year-old taxi operator Kenrick Mignott was shot and killed and his vehicle stolen.

READ: Taxi driver killed, robbed of vehicle in St Ann

No one has been charged in relation to that incident.

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