International   

Crime scene, now a tourist draw

KINGSTON (Jamaica): The posh Jamaican hotel room where Pakistan’s cricket coach died under disputed circumstances has gone from a crime scene to tourist draw.

The body of Bob Woolmer which was found in Room 374 of the Jamaica Pegasus hotel last March, launched an international investigation after Jamaican authorities said he had been strangled. In an embarrassing reversal, police later said experts had concluded he died of natural causes, most likely heart disease.

Foreigners are still intrigued by his death, said Lloyd Bremner, the hotel’s general manager. “It’s pretty amazing,” he said. “Some people request to be in it, some want to be on the same floor.”

The $228 a day room was renovated after the police classified it as a crime scene and closed it for six weeks.

Speculation about foul play swirled after Mr. Woolmer was found unconscious on March 18, a day after his heavily favoured team lost to Ireland in the World Cup. An inquest into his death ended in indecision late last year when a panel said it had not heard sufficient evidence after receiving a testimony from more than 50 people over five weeks. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

A veteran parliamentarian
U.S. missiles kill militants
Pakistan National Assembly to meet today
Wen Jiabao re-elected China’s Premier
Sarkozy faces test in local polls
Crime scene, now a tourist draw

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu