Police Officer Joshua Hamlet appeared in court on Monday and was formally charged with the murder of Jerbiah Paul, making him the second police officer to face a murder charge in connection with the case.
Following an investigation, 23-year-old former police officer Jean-Luc Langlais was arrested and charged with homicide in connection with the case. Langlais was subsequently dismissed from the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force and remanded to the State Prison.
Officials report that fellow officer Hamlet was not required to enter a plea because murder is an indictable offence.
Following the court appearance, Hamlet was remanded to the State Prison pending a preliminary inquiry scheduled for October 2, 2026.
He was represented by Attorney-at-Law Dawn Yearwood-Stewart, while the prosecution was represented by Kevin Julien and Gabrielle St. Hillare.
Hamlet’s court appearance marks the latest development in the investigation into Paul’s death, with two officers now facing murder charges in the matter.
Jerbiah Paul was reported missing on July 24. On August 12, severely decomposed remains were discovered in a precipice in Capuchin and were later linked to the missing teenager, with DNA testing required for confirmation, according to the police.
Police Chief Lincoln Corbette said at a news conference held to announce the charges, the investigation remained active and vowed that no stone would be left unturned. Investigators also uncovered an alleged attempt to conceal Paul’s death through false social media accounts created to give the impression that she was still alive.
Authorities said at the time that they were not ruling out additional charges as the investigation continued into Paul’s disappearance, death, and the alleged cover-up.
