The naked body of a 19-year-old woman was found Sunday morning on the porch of the Midas Muffler shop in Tutu. Police said the victim, Yathera Corona, had been reported missing by her boyfriend four hours before her body was found.
A report from Police Chief Jose Garcia said there were abrasions on the victim’s neck and the death had been ruled a homicide.
The police said the boyfriend, Reyad Hamdan of Tillett Gardens #77, went Saturday evening to Plaza Extra where Corona worked to find out when she would be ready to leave. When he returned to get her at 9:15 p.m., she wasn't there.
He went to her home and several friends' homes trying to find her, police said, but to no avail. At 3 a.m. he went to the police to report her missing and an all-points-bulletin was issued.
At 7:15 a.m. a citizen reported to Newton Command that she and a girlfriend went to Midas and found Corona's nude body on the porch, Garcia said.
The report did not provide an address for Corona.
The territory has had eight homicides this year, six on St. Croix and two on St. Thomas. The previous St. Thomas victim was Gregory deSilva, 22, whose body was found Jan. 27 in a car along the road from Red Hook to Sapphire Beach. Police said he had been shot several times. No one has been arrested in that case.
Police asked anyone with information about either homicide to call 911 or the Investigations Bureau at 774-4050 or 774-2233.