Cold suspect

THE COLD CASE SQUAD believes it has solved a seven-year-old murder mystery.A 45-year-old man is in police custody and is expected to be charged some time today for the brutal death of 79-year-old Floretta Highland, whose body was found on April 8, 2003, in a pool of blood at her Mayport Lane, Pinelands, St Michael home.The elderly woman’s throat had been slashed.Police are now awaiting word from Director of Public Prosecutions Charles Leacock before proceeding with the charges.A police official told the DAILY NATION that investigations carried out seven years ago suggested that Highland’s house had been broken and entered. Highland was last seen alive some time between April 1 and 2, 2003. Her body was discovered by a curious neighbour.She was accustomed to walking around with two bags which contained her worldly possessions. Highland’s sister, Elaine Highland, said the police contacted the family yesterday with the news.“The police have to do what they have to do but as far as I am concerned, I have forgiven him and I ask the Lord to forgive him. Nothing that they do now will bring her back,”Highland said.She said her sister had no children.This is the second case that the Cold Case Squad has cracked since it was formed three years ago to review unsolved murders. However, it is the first time that the police have arrested a suspect.Last year the squad was successful in solving the 2004 murder of Kelly Bailey, formerly of Kirtons, St Philip, who was gunned down by a group of men in a car not too far from his home.While police obtained a statement from an eyewitness about the identity of the shooters, they discovered that all the men who were involved had themselves died during a shoot-out with police. However, police were able to match the ballistics of the guns which were used during the shoot-out to those which were taken from Bailey’s body.