This website is providing up to date information on the circumstances surrounding the apparently violent death of Rita M. Zeichner in Nevis, West Indies on August 24, 2004. Here's the initial story.

Monday, October 11, 2004

There have been no new developments. Despite efforts to make contact, members of the Nevis Police have not returned calls. The Prime Minister's office has provided no new information, nor have any of the questions we've asked been addressed.

Jonathan has been working on a scholarship fund in Rita's name for Nevisian children. Here is his letter.

Friday, September 24, 2004

No developments. One hostile email response to this web site calling it offensive crap. That made me think. I hope site visitors understand that it is not our intent to offend, nor to imply that Rita's death should take precedence over the other ongoing investigations of unsolved crimes in Nevis. We are just one of a number of families whose loved ones have met a violent end in Nevis, hoping for a new resolve to solve these crimes.

Here is a short piece of writing which describes part of my perspective on all this.

--Walter

Friday, September 17, 2004

Many of the email addresses are no longer working for government officials of the St. Kitts - Nevis Federal Government. I think that means we've gotten their attention if they've closed their email down due to so many emails about Rita's death. The best ways to contact the Prime Minister's office now are by snail mail, telephone and fax:

Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas
Government Headquarters
Basseterre, St. Kitts
Tel: (869) 465-2521
Fax: (869) 465-1001

Continued pressure seems appropriate since the officials of the St. Kitts - Nevis Federal Government seem to be making themselves less available.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

This is an email received today from Prime Minister Douglas' Permanent Secretary, Mr. Peets, with my reply. Here is Jonathan's reply.

Our Reward Page is up and running, allowing people to give truly anonymous tips. We have yet to even start fundraising for the reward and for the Rita M. Zeichner Scholarship Fund for Nevisian Children, but we've gotten this far.

Here is the current situation as of Tuesday, September 14, 2004

To date we have still not heard anything from the Prime Minister's office.

Based on:

The statements of the attending physician

The x-rays

Examination of the scene including identifying ways the house could have been broken into

First-hand accounts from the people who found Rita

The history of break-ins to the house

The condition in which Rita was found

It seems probable that someone hit Rita very hard on the head, possibly with the handle of the new machete she had on the hallway shelf, which has gone missing.

It seems probable that his was a murder.

Furthermore, public statements made by government officials including Police Commissioner Mr. Jeffers, Minister of Tourism Mr. Guishard, and Attorney General Mr. Bart, prematurely stating that this was an accidental death, all indicate a lack of will to get this murderer off the streets of Nevis.

That is the issue, and it is for the people of Nevis to make their will known that they will no longer accept the status quo. I hope that happens.

Friday, September 10, 2004

There is not a lot of new news to report other than that the newspapers in Nevis, the St. Kitts - Nevis Observer and the St. Kitts - Nevis Leeward Times have apparently been receiving pressure to stop printing letters and/or articles from us or about Rita's death. In addition, some friends have received responses to their letters. Police Commissioner Jeffers sent an email to one person saying

"Let me state here and now, at no time did I say that Mrs Zeichner"s death was an accident. What i said and what was issued in a press release from my office is that the investigators were keeping all their options opened and were not ruling out anything."

This is an untrue statement. Mr. Jeffers was heard on the radio on Saturday, August 27, saying this was an accident.

In addition Mr. Jeffers wrote

"The Surgeon as far as I am aware was not the best person to state that the wound was inflicted by an assailant and I have since heard that the surgeon did not make such a statement."

The surgeon stated directly to our faces, while showing us the x-rays. that "This injury is the result of a severe blow with a blunt object. Either the person was very strong or the object was very heavy."

How Mr. Jeffers can dispute this I do not know since he wasn't there in the room with us.

Sunday, September 5, 2004

Here is a letter from Jonathan dated today.

Here is a letter to the Prime Minister of St. Kitts - Nevis from Walter.

Here is a list of contact information for members of the St. Kitts - Nevis government. Do with this information what you will.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Development, Planning and National Security

Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas
Government Headquarters
Basseterre, St. Kitts
Tel: (869) 465-2521
Fax: (869) 465-1001

Prime Minister's Office - sknpmoffice@caribsurf.com

Ministry of International Trade, Labour, Social Security,
Caricom Affairs and Telecommunication and Technology - mintica@thecable.net

Ministry of Health and Environment - minhwa@caribsurf.com

Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports - culture@caribsurf.com

Ministry of Tourism, Commerce and Consumer Affairs - mintc&e@caribsurf.com

Ministry of Social Development Community and Gender Affairs - mwaskn@caribsurf.com

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Co-operatives, Lands and Housing - minafclh@caribsurf.com

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Education - minelsc@caribsurf.com

Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs - attnygenskn@caribsurf.com

Wednesday, September 1, 2004

The Police on Nevis continue to tell us this is being treated as a homicide though as yet there is no final conclusion that it WAS or WAS NOT a homicide. Concurrently, we have been told by a reliable source that the Minister of Tourism/Deputy Premiere of Nevis was seen and heard on Monday, August 30, telling people in a public setting that Rita's death was an accident. This continues to be contrary to the opinions expressed by the medical personnel involved.

The US Embassy continues to be in contact, taking our questions and trying to find answers, though not always succesfully. We were told by Embassy staff that the FBI did NOT take fingerprint evidence from the scene where Rita was found. Furthermore we were told that the FBI report would take months to be completed and that we WOULD NOT have access to it once it's done.

Police Inspector Hilroy Brandy told us that the police had released the one suspect they had in custody because "he told us he didn't know the lady and had never been in her house." According to Brandy the suspect was released WITHOUT his fingerprints being compared with prints taken from the scene. The people who were in the house when Rita was found HAVE STILL NOT BEEN FINGERPRINTED which means that the investigation continues to be less than comprehensive. Demonstrating a true will to solve this would mean following logical procedures. This is not happening.

The FBI agent told us on Sunday that he couldn't see how the injury could have been the result of a fall, but he also couldn't see how someone could have gotten in and out of the house. We approached the locked house on Tuesday morning and found 3 ways to break in within less than two minutes, literally.

The best way to assist us in finding out what happened to Rita continues to be by contacting your Senators and Representatives, asking them to continue to put pressure on the Embassy, the FBI, the State Department. Also, by calling the Prime Minister's office.

We continue to ask for a thorough investigation for the sake of the safety of all who live on Nevis. It continues to be true that a thorough investigation is not happening.

We buried Rita yesterday in the Gingerland Catholic Cemetery in a very beautiful service with 75 or so of Rita's friends present.

Thank you all who have been taking steps on our behalf.

Monday, August 30, 2004

On August 24, 2004 Rita Zeichner, my mother, died from wounds sustained during the third breakin to her small cottage on the island of Nevis. Despite pleas to the police to investigate the second breakin, a third incident resulted in her death "by a severe blow to the head with a blunt instrument" according to surgeon Robert George of the Alexandra Hospital in Charlestown, Nevis.

The FBI came to Nevis on Sunday August 29th, after many requests by my brothers and myself and local Premiere Vance Amory. The agent dispatched did conduct an investigation of the house where this incident occurred, taking samples back to Miami for analysis.

It is clear that unless fingerprints are taken from all the people who were in the house when Rita was found then the investigation cannot be proceeding comprehensively. Fingerprinting those that were in the house, and checking against any current suspects, is an obvious step. These fingerprints have still not been taken. Why? Has the FBI been given the information regarding the previous incidents? Also - were fingerprints taken during any of the previous breaking and entering incidents? She had been broken into twice before.  If so, have fingerprints from the house been compared to those? We don't believe this has happened.  When will it?  Has the FBI been given the information regarding the previous incidents?

Two MDs have stated unequivocally that her injury had to have resulted from a severe blow to the head with a blunt object. One of them, Dr. George said that he believed it had to have been done by a very strong person. Even after these statements had been made, and an autopsy had been conducted, on Friday the 28th Police Commissioner Jeffers was on the radio assuring the public that Rita's death was accidental. On Saturday the 29th, after the preliminary report of the post-mortem had concluded that this injury was the result of trauma, the Attorney General of St. Kitts - Nevis Federal Government was on the radio stating that Rita's death was accidental. It is not clear why the authorities of Nevis are stating publicly that this was an accident when those who have examined the body are clearly NOT saying that. Additionally the newspaper articles about this incident, from local newspapers, which had been available on the internet for two days, have all disappeared.

Here's what you can do to help - and don't worry that it's redundant - we figure: the more pressure, the better.  Call the US Embassy in Barbados 246-436-4950 or fax the ambassador, Mary E. Kramer, at 246-429-5246.  Ask the ambassador to do everything in her power to have the investigation proceed.  The Legal Attaché is Susan Chainer, and the Regional Security officer is Dan Becker.  Continued contact with these people is a good thing.  It keeps this in their mind and lets them know that things are not being handled thoroughly. The embassy is telling people that they are in regular touch with us and are doing everything they can to ensure a complete investigation. If you receive this response, it's perfectly OK to press them for details.

Here is something else you can do.  If you have connections with the press in the US, especially the New York Times or other big papers, let them know what's going on.  Ask them to contact the embassy, the Nevis police, the FBI, the State Department.

You can also contact the Office of the Prime Minister on St. Kitts at 869-465-0299. We have not received a phone call or a note from the Prime Minister, yet it is people in his administration who are saying publicly that this was an accident, as described above.

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY AGENDA EXCEPT TO GET TO THE TRUTH - IF IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, SO BE IT - IF NOT, LET'S PURSUE THE FACTS. Nothing will bring Rita back to life, but incompetence and political agendas regarding crime in the Carribean should be exposed (tourism is the biggest form of income here). Most importantly, if someone killed Rita they should be off the street as soon as possible. This is the best way we can honor our mother.

Thank you all for the love and support.  It matters a lot to my brothers and me.  We are all doing well, caring for each other and finding immense support from people here, both Nevisian and expat.

love,

Erich, Jonathan and Walter Zeichner

If you have any information about what happened to our mother, or want information from us, please email us at zeichnerbros@walterzeichner.com