NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Four men have been taken in for questioning in relation to Sunday’s discovery of a body that police believe to be missing 17-year-old Lavard McKenzie.
The body was found in bushes at the rear of a residence on East Avenue, off Carmichael Road.
The teenager was reported missing last week Thursday.
He was the third boy to be reported missing in August.
When contacted, Chief Superintendent Shanta Knowles said investigators were awaiting DNA test results to confirm the identity of the victim due to the state of the body.
“We are talking to some young men, we have some young men in custody and we are still working with that matter,” Knowles said, noting more information would be made available as police advance their investigation.
She was unable to say whether any of the men being questioned were prime suspects, adding police hope to resolve the matter soon.
“We would ask anyone in that area who may have any information, anything that can assist us, we would appreciate a call,” Knowles said.
“Our officers have been working that since Sunday and we hope we can get a successful conclusion.”
Speaking to Eyewitness News, Lavard McKenzie Sr said his son lived with his mother but spent weekends with him.
He said when he did not hear from his son, he knew something was wrong.
“I just came from the place where they found my son’s body where the persons them hurt him,” McKenzie said.
“He crawled on the ground, pouring blood, from here almost to that road, to the fence to try and holler to the people living in the yard where he was. They find him laying right by the fence.”
McKenzie Sr said no one is perfect, but his son has had always been described as well mannered and never got into trouble with authorities or at school.
However, the father said his son was recently hanging around boys he did not approve of.
He said he believed it may have cost him his life.
“I would advise everybody to try and watch their children company because they come smiling and that time, you don’t know what their agenda is,” he said.
McKenzie Sr said that he just bought his son a car as a graduation present in preparation for them to go to Abaco together to work for eight months.
He added: “Not everyone who comes around you is your friend. Not everyone who eats, drinks and smokes with you is your friend. I just learned that.
“My son was calling these [expletive] with him his friends because they been around him for the last couple [of] months. He called them his friends and he trusted them, and they carried him somewhere and killed him.”
The father said he was told he had to cremate his son based on “how they do him so bad”.
In addition to McKenzie, 15-year-old Miller Georges, a resident of Lazaretto Road, was reported missing on Sunday.
He is described as slim, dark brown in complexion and five-foot, six inches in height. Additionally, 15-year-old Lavar Munroe was reported missing on August 10.
While he lives on Laurel Street, Pinewood Gardens, he was last seen on Sisal Road.
He is described as having a dark brown complexion, slim and five-foot, nine inches tall.
Today, Knowles appealed for the public’s help in reuniting the teenagers with their families.
She encouraged anyone with information irrespective of how small to contact the police.
Asked whether there was any nexus between the missing boys, Knowles said there was no evidence to suggest the incidents were linked.
However, she said the matters were concerning.
