By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have no leads, no motive and no suspects in custody in connection with the brutal murder of sports coach Devince Smith, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean.

ACP Dean confirmed that Mr Smith, 43, was stabbed multiple times and beaten by his attacker and said it was one of the “worst crime scenes” he had ever seen.

“We have no motive at this time and no leads,” he told The Tribune yesterday. “We are still processing the crime scene, there is still work to be done. We are asking for help in solving this brutal crime. We know someone knows what happened.”

“Someone might have seen something. If anyone knows anything please come forward and help us bring relief to the family.”

Mr Smith’s partially decomposed body was found shortly after 2.30pm on Monday in an apartment complex in St Albans Drive off West Bay Street.

At the scene Chief Superintendent Paul Rolle, officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, said police believe the victim was dead for “quite some time” before the body was discovered. Police were alerted to the scene after relatives, who had not heard from the victim, went to his home and found him dead on a living room couch.

The latest homicide pushed the country’s murder count to 143 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

Meanwhile, friends and members of the sporting community continued to send tributes to Mr Smith a Scotiabank employee, father of one and former president of the New Providence Volleyball Association, on social media yesterday.

“Hearing the news of Devince’s death only made me reflect that life is short, so live everyday like it is your last because the end can come at anytime. Devince was there from the beginning of my volleyball career and at the end and his love for the game showed in his efforts,” long time friend Audril Farquharson wrote on Facebook.

“(He was) a true leader and inspiration for all of the younger generations that he helped mould. A great son of the nation will be missed. My friend, my fierce competitor, my coach, my family and brother in Christ. RIP Devince Smith. New Providence Volleyball Association stay strong and stay together because in this sadness Devince’s love for the game will pull us closer.”

Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.