Santiago- Dominican Republic authorities announced Wednesday an investigation into the death of a British national Denise D. Courtnay, 60, whose decomposed body was found in a grassy area near the town Cabarete, Sosúa (north).
Sosúa Police commander Nelson Diaz Araujo told the press of the ongoing investigation, but clarified that there are no arrests so far.
The coroner Freddy Salazar transferred the foreigner’s body for an autopsy to Regional Forensics in Santiago.
Courtnay’s body was found yesterday in the sector Playa Rocon, Cabarete by locals who found her by the smell and notified the Police.
A police source said the foreigner, who owned three apartments in Cabarete and Sosúa, had disappeared one week ago and prompted a search by agents and some residents.
SOURCE: clavedigital.com
Written by: xwill7, 28 Jul 2010 11:05 AM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
This can not be good for tourism... Sad
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
Playa Rocon is a place you don't want to be at if you want to stay alive.
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
Playa Rocon is a place you don't want to be at if you want to stay alive.
From: United States
The DR is getting to be a place no tourist or investor wants to be in.
Keep it up Leonel.
Written by: THINK, 28 Jul 2010 11:34 AM
From: United States, SDQ -- Mia --NY
1. Does the investigation helpful? I reserve my suspicious point about the efficiency of DR Police.
2. There are so many properties for sale in Sosua, which indicating that the economy is not good over there, or the crime rate is too high, or corruptions there is too heavy.....??????
3. It is not a good news for tourists for sure, but..... for foreigners over there, you have to be very careful in a lot of things........
Written by: xwill7, 28 Jul 2010 11:40 AM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
This is getting out of control
From: United States
There is no reason to invest in the DR. There is a reason the interest rates are much higher because the risk is also much higher you will lose everything.
Buying waterfront property is a complete waste of time especially for a foreigner. It will easily be taken from you by force when it becomes too valuable to someone else.
People don't understand how easily someone will kill you here and get away with it.
Written by: Gringo_1, 28 Jul 2010 11:46 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Maimon (Bonao)
I think the murder rate for foreigners in Sosua must be three higher than the worst place in the US. What's up with Sosua?
From: United States
DO NOT let the Dominicans do anything, they are incompetent.
I applaud your country for doing something.
The US does shit when one of their citizens dies.
From: United States
Damn, I thought the British were going to investigate.
Oh well.. nothing will get done.
Written by: walnut, 28 Jul 2010 12:04 PM
From: Bouvet Island, Cayuga lakeside
Another murder of a foreigner? One who came to this country probably years ago to live in paradise. Has it become such a latrine in Sosua/Cabarete?
I am a foreigner as well who came to the DR over 25 years ago to live in paradise. In those years, I have had wonderful times and great friendships here.
Do I have to fear for my own safety when I roam around La Romana?
Is it time to throw in the towel and put out the for sale sign?
I hope not; I love this country and its people. However, I sense there is utter incompetence everywhere-especially the police.
Written by: Rainman, 28 Jul 2010 12:17 PM
From: United States
Until they make a point of punishing crimes against foreing investors as a priority for the gov. not much will change. Havent they realize that every time a tourist or investor is killed the world gets to know about it and many more change their plans of coming to invest or visit. Dont they see they are killing the golden gooze and not doing much about it
Written by: xwill7, 28 Jul 2010 12:18 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
walnut,
I want to retire in DR someday but if things continue at this rate, I might just head for south beach instead
Written by: Juango, 28 Jul 2010 12:35 PM
From: United States, far S. Florida (formerly Santo Domingo)
xwill FYI,,, S. Beach and areas of near downtown Miami have some great properties for sale at bargin basement prices with new tax valuations to boot. The problem is getting a mortage as it is very much more paperwork intensive (documented proof of income) today, than years ago. You can buy a very nice refurbished homes in the $150-300K range,with many to select from. Much less for fixer-uppers. A far much better deal than what is now availabble in the DR, when all factors are considered, ie. services, utilities, security, risk, comfort, ease of purchase, more trusting lawyers, less BS in general, etc......NO I AM NOT in RE Sales, just making a personal observation and comment.
Very sorry to hear that violent crimes continues toward foreigners in the DR. That will not change till the judicial, penal, and law enforcement sectors change their ways dramatically, And that is not going to happen soon.
Written by: xwill7, 28 Jul 2010 1:09 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
juango,
Thanks for the info.
Also, how will DR be in 20 years if they don't seal the border + all of the current problems?
From: United States, Yonkers, NY
Written by: Grosero, 28 Jul 2010 2:12 PM
From: United States
This is why I go to Costa Rica and piss on the DR...
The DR has become a cesspool of crime...
Is the power on yet?????
..Oh that's right, it's only for Puna Cana and the rest of us can sit in the dark...
Leave the F-ing place to Trash limbaugh....
he likes little boys
From: Dominican Republic, I dislike all politicians and their afiliated parties... "I simply say it AS IT IS!!"
Good Point, Walnut
it's quality of people. Until we don't seal the border we'll be getting worse and worse.
Written by: curlando, 28 Jul 2010 2:34 PM
From: United States, Bronx
They are killing one gringos a month in DR.
From: Dominican Republic, NEVER FORGOTTEN, NEVER FORSAKEN!
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
WaterPolo ,,why is Playa Rocon so dangerous and where exactly is it ?? west or east of Cabarete??
Walnut ..there are many barrios in la Romana where Dominicans do not roam at night and I limit myself to a small part at night so I suggest you do also ..In the day there are not too many barrios where I am nervous. I do not think there is any need to throw in the towel as the reporting of such incidents is better these days . I was just as worried about the German man who was murdered last week in the nice estate behind Jumbo in Herrera and who owned a Casa de Cambio in Conde. Although you have been here much longer than I, it seems that few murders of foreigners are random and that there is normally a story behind them . I am sure that like me you try not to cross anyone here
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
Playa Rocon owes its name to a bar restaurant there called El Rocon. It lies west of the village of Cabnarete, maybe one mile after the inlet to the Barrio La Cienaga.
It belongs to a well feared family, many of its members in jail in the US for major crimes. They managed to obtain a major eviction against a great number of owners, some with titles, some without, in the last months of Mejia's government. They since took possession of the land, hundreds of acres.
There is that story about an American gentleman from California, who'd changed his name to Sonny Bluesky (I kid you not), who bought a piece of beach land from those people and built a beautiful wave-shaped mansion. A while after, as the legend goes, he was forced to sign a document to give back the property to his vendors, who decided he had not paid enough for the land in the first place. Nobody in the area ever heard of Sonny Bluesky again. He supposedly left the country and never came back.
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
(continued)
Nobody in their right mind would venture on that beach, which is rather secluded and well protected from trespassers by armed guys in 4x4s that do not work for Dominican Watchman. Definitely a place to dispose of a corpse.. if they will let you.
The first thing I would look into if I had to do with this investigation is the identity of the people this poor woman bought property from.
May she RIP.
Written by: Escott, 28 Jul 2010 8:56 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Cabrera and Sosua a 2 days a month for payday
Most of the murders have been solved and with the exception of one fellow who killed a Dominican in a car and beat the case in court (The family killed him) the killers had been lovers. I worry not about my personal safety nor do I worry about my investments here in the DR. When you choose to play with the wrong crowd you usually have problems here. I ave seen people flash big money here only to have problems later.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
WaterPolo ..I have been reading various accounts of the death and it is suggested that this was a crime of passion ..and that she had a boyfriend who comes from San Pedro de Macoris but was seen with her last week and not seen since .Elsewhere it is suggested that she was not feeling safe and told people this ...I hope the murder here is solved and also the murder of the German in Herrera
Written by: walnut, 28 Jul 2010 11:08 PM
From: Bouvet Island, Cayuga lakeside
I did not read about the German.
What were the circumstances there?
What has happened with the criminal investigation of the American lawyer killed?
These incidents are not isolated to just the DR. Everyday, in every major city in the world, despicable acts of violence occur.
It is just that the media loves to make a sensational story. How many murders were there in the DR on the same day as this was discovered that were not sensationalized?
No place is immune from the reaches of violent crime today.
Who knows what things will be like in 20 years.
Glad I got to experience the DR of the late 80s through now.
And as someone pointed out, south Florida is very inexpensive. For now, I choose the DR.
Written by: Tommy, 29 Jul 2010 10:06 AM
From: Canada, Northern Ontario
Well, another unsolved accident?
Who knows?
There are more of these in Bum...k, Idaho than in the entire DR!
It is truly a paradise!
All you have to do is behave yourself!
And treat everyone as you would have them treat you.
Have a great day!
Tommy.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
WALNUT the German man Werner Munch was killed by two men he evidently trusted , the men gagged domestic employees and put a pillow over the German and shot through the pillow ..another man was waiting outside in a get away car
The German owned a finance company in Calle Conde but lived in Rosmil which I think is behind Jumbo off Luperon . In other reports it is suggested that the finance company was close by
The British woman was very rich a mllionairess and it is alleged she was being stalked by a rogue military policeman ...not sure if this man was the same man as the man from San Pedro who evidently was her boy friend ...the British lady had been coming to the DR for 20 years
From: United States, Maryland
I go to Cuba by way of Canada.Much safer.These people have found a way to destroy the the best industry they ever had.Sooner than later the planes filled with tourist with their pockets full of dollars will stop coming.They will be worst off than their neighbor next door that they hate so bad.lol
From: United States
walnut, The big difference is NO ONE goes to jail.
Dominicans have an entitlement mentality, they are allowed to kill expats with impunity.
NOTHING happen in the American lawyer murder case.
From: United States, Maryland
What they are really killing is the tourism industry and I wonder who is that going to hurt in the long run?
From: United States
although our country is trying to move ahead, there still a lot to be done. crime is escalating all over the world. here in the U.S along , gang activities has increase tremendously , around the country.
walnut , in Florida, the people are very dry . if you want to expedite your trip to haven , just move there, I'm sure depression. will kill you.
my family is from DR and i hope one day to retire there. to much going on right now.
From: United States
we keep blaming the politicians, but aren't them elected by the public.
we can only blame our self.
people need to stop relying on the government to fix there problems. if not ask Obama's supporters
they are still waiting on their stimulus check
From: United States, Maryland
I'am a supporter of President Obama and most of us don't need a stimulus check.Someone needs to do something about the beggars in the DR that is who needs stimulating.
Written by: danny00, 29 Jul 2010 6:04 PM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
Written by: xwill7, 28 Jul 2010 11:05 AM
From: United States, Chicago
This can not be good for tourism... Sad
BUT LET IT HAPPEN WAY TOO MANY TOURISTS ARE GETTING KILLED OR HURT, ROB. IN THE DR.
ITS A VACTION THEY THINK! NOT A "DEATH TRAP"..
HOPE OTHERS WAKE UP AND DEMAND SOME ANSWERS.
Written by: walnut, 29 Jul 2010 6:25 PM
From: Bouvet Island, Cayuga lakeside
From the news reports I have read....she frequently traveled to the DR from her home in England where she owned a strip club. She was looking forward to retiring to the DR. She was being stalked by a "rogue" military person, who could have been her 30 year old lover from San Pedro.
Those that appear to be victims of crimes against "tourists" are not what they seem. The American, the German and the English woman were not just here as visitors. They lived here and, for all of them, chose to do business or associate with the wrong kind of people.
That can be the case everywhere.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
walnut ,,yes they were not just simple tourists but it is very hard to know how things can turn out when you even have a small encounter with a person .I had recently an occasion in Iberia in la Romana when a man asked me for money , 100 pesos, I gave him 50 and he followed me to my car and tried to knife me .
I pay for some training for 2 medical students in San Pedro ,,when I was told one was on drugs , I told him there was no more money and he sent a message that he would kill me .When I first came here in the DR as a widower I had some brief affairs looking for some romance but they ended with threats to me ..These are examples of how difficult it can be for a foreigner ..it is best to keep at a full arms length with most Dominicans ..horrible to say but I have yet to find a foreigner who says differently
Written by: Tommy, 30 Jul 2010 7:56 AM
From: Canada, Northern Ontario
Well, here is 1 foreigner that says different!
I love the DR and 99.5% of the citizens, including Haitians!
I have been going there about 7-8 years now. 50% of my time in the last 2 years.
I have yet to have a problem that I did not start myself.
There are MAYBE 5 tourists a year murdered in the DR, not even!
The problem is the news people!
How many tourists a year are murdered in the US?
Thousands?
Viva DR!
Have a great day!
Tommy.
From: United States, Maryland
Ricardolito you are 100% correct.Tommy it's guys like you that get to fly home in a coffin,the song you are singing it's not if you change the tune it is when you change the tune..
From: United States
The Sosua/Caberete area attracts a low end to lower middle level tourism. The place is notorius for people with decadent lifestyles, both for the natives and foreigners alike. The murder of this British national has with out a question of a doubt a story behind it, so let us not jump the gun.
As a child I lived and grew up in one of the worst neighborhoods and tenement apartments in the South Bronx, yet our famly never really had a problem. We kept to ourselves, did not interact with the locals, stayed home at night, kept our guard up, took the necessary precautions and did not get involved in any shady activity until we were able to afford to move out and up to westchester county.
I do not deny that there is an ever increasing crime wave never seen before in the DR, however greater is a problem with the capacity for judgement by foreigners, expats and tourists who don't know or really understand the social dynamics of living in an unknown or any country per se.
From: United States
A BRITISH millionairess owner of a famous strip club has been brutally murdered on holiday.
Denise D'Courtenay, 60, was stabbed to death before being buried in bushes on a beach in the Dominican Republic.
Cops were last night hunting a rogue military policeman who had allegedly been stalking her.
Staff at Denise's hotel said they had seen her with Hector Amauris de la Cruz, in his early 30s, on the day she vanished.
The ex-model planned to retire next month from The Queen Anne in Vauxhall, South London, a haunt of footballers, soap stars and rappers.
She had been going to the Caribbean island for 20 years. Daughter Naomi Robinson, 39, said: "I will not rest until the person responsible is caught."
Read more:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homep....public-holiday.html#ixzz0vBzqEHPKFrom: United States
gmiller-Very good, I knew it, although Denise D'Courtenay is a millionairess whose wealth is based principally from the income incured from a successful but seedy business that regardless of fame is no reason for her to become a victim of murder. However, the story above explains it is in a nut shell.
This industry is notorious for attracting all sorts of shady characters but this time she came across one too many.
From: United Kingdom
Hi
Im a londoner and I have been in to Ms D'courtenay's strip bar many times. I also knew Denise and have just found out about her death. I offer my sincere condolences to her family and friends.
Denise was a weathly woman and shown it by wearing gold necklaces like Mr T in the A-Team. Infact my secret name for her was Mrs T. I have no doubt she would have worn all her gold on display and probably made no secret of her wealth to people she spoke too.
This I gather this may have been the reason for her murder. All very very sad.
Mark.
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Keep it up Leonel.
1. Does the investigation helpful? I reserve my suspicious point about the efficiency of DR Police.
2. There are so many properties for sale in Sosua, which indicating that the economy is not good over there, or the crime rate is too high, or corruptions there is too heavy.....??????
3. It is not a good news for tourists for sure, but..... for foreigners over there, you have to be very careful in a lot of things........
Buying waterfront property is a complete waste of time especially for a foreigner. It will easily be taken from you by force when it becomes too valuable to someone else.
People don't understand how easily someone will kill you here and get away with it.
DO NOT let the Dominicans do anything, they are incompetent.
I applaud your country for doing something.
The US does shit when one of their citizens dies.
Damn, I thought the British were going to investigate.
Oh well.. nothing will get done.
I am a foreigner as well who came to the DR over 25 years ago to live in paradise. In those years, I have had wonderful times and great friendships here.
Do I have to fear for my own safety when I roam around La Romana?
Is it time to throw in the towel and put out the for sale sign?
I hope not; I love this country and its people. However, I sense there is utter incompetence everywhere-especially the police.
I want to retire in DR someday but if things continue at this rate, I might just head for south beach instead
Very sorry to hear that violent crimes continues toward foreigners in the DR. That will not change till the judicial, penal, and law enforcement sectors change their ways dramatically, And that is not going to happen soon.
Thanks for the info.
Also, how will DR be in 20 years if they don't seal the border + all of the current problems?
http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt116/FredWitzell/BaghdadBob2.jpg
The DR has become a cesspool of crime...
Is the power on yet?????
..Oh that's right, it's only for Puna Cana and the rest of us can sit in the dark...
Leave the F-ing place to Trash limbaugh....
he likes little boys
it's quality of people. Until we don't seal the border we'll be getting worse and worse.
http://www.elnacional.com.do/naci....-masiva-llegada-de-haitianos-a-RD
First Puerto Plata, then Higuey, Sto Dgo, now Santiago, and Mr Fernandez is too busy trying to fix everybody else's problem when our country is deteriorating.
Walnut ..there are many barrios in la Romana where Dominicans do not roam at night and I limit myself to a small part at night so I suggest you do also ..In the day there are not too many barrios where I am nervous. I do not think there is any need to throw in the towel as the reporting of such incidents is better these days . I was just as worried about the German man who was murdered last week in the nice estate behind Jumbo in Herrera and who owned a Casa de Cambio in Conde. Although you have been here much longer than I, it seems that few murders of foreigners are random and that there is normally a story behind them . I am sure that like me you try not to cross anyone here
It belongs to a well feared family, many of its members in jail in the US for major crimes. They managed to obtain a major eviction against a great number of owners, some with titles, some without, in the last months of Mejia's government. They since took possession of the land, hundreds of acres.
There is that story about an American gentleman from California, who'd changed his name to Sonny Bluesky (I kid you not), who bought a piece of beach land from those people and built a beautiful wave-shaped mansion. A while after, as the legend goes, he was forced to sign a document to give back the property to his vendors, who decided he had not paid enough for the land in the first place. Nobody in the area ever heard of Sonny Bluesky again. He supposedly left the country and never came back.
Nobody in their right mind would venture on that beach, which is rather secluded and well protected from trespassers by armed guys in 4x4s that do not work for Dominican Watchman. Definitely a place to dispose of a corpse.. if they will let you.
The first thing I would look into if I had to do with this investigation is the identity of the people this poor woman bought property from.
May she RIP.
What were the circumstances there?
What has happened with the criminal investigation of the American lawyer killed?
These incidents are not isolated to just the DR. Everyday, in every major city in the world, despicable acts of violence occur.
It is just that the media loves to make a sensational story. How many murders were there in the DR on the same day as this was discovered that were not sensationalized?
No place is immune from the reaches of violent crime today.
Who knows what things will be like in 20 years.
Glad I got to experience the DR of the late 80s through now.
And as someone pointed out, south Florida is very inexpensive. For now, I choose the DR.
Who knows?
There are more of these in Bum...k, Idaho than in the entire DR!
It is truly a paradise!
All you have to do is behave yourself!
And treat everyone as you would have them treat you.
Have a great day!
Tommy.
The German owned a finance company in Calle Conde but lived in Rosmil which I think is behind Jumbo off Luperon . In other reports it is suggested that the finance company was close by
The British woman was very rich a mllionairess and it is alleged she was being stalked by a rogue military policeman ...not sure if this man was the same man as the man from San Pedro who evidently was her boy friend ...the British lady had been coming to the DR for 20 years
walnut, The big difference is NO ONE goes to jail.
Dominicans have an entitlement mentality, they are allowed to kill expats with impunity.
NOTHING happen in the American lawyer murder case.
walnut , in Florida, the people are very dry . if you want to expedite your trip to haven , just move there, I'm sure depression. will kill you.
my family is from DR and i hope one day to retire there. to much going on right now.
we can only blame our self.
people need to stop relying on the government to fix there problems. if not ask Obama's supporters
they are still waiting on their stimulus check
From: United States, Chicago
This can not be good for tourism... Sad
BUT LET IT HAPPEN WAY TOO MANY TOURISTS ARE GETTING KILLED OR HURT, ROB. IN THE DR.
ITS A VACTION THEY THINK! NOT A "DEATH TRAP"..
HOPE OTHERS WAKE UP AND DEMAND SOME ANSWERS.
Those that appear to be victims of crimes against "tourists" are not what they seem. The American, the German and the English woman were not just here as visitors. They lived here and, for all of them, chose to do business or associate with the wrong kind of people.
That can be the case everywhere.
I pay for some training for 2 medical students in San Pedro ,,when I was told one was on drugs , I told him there was no more money and he sent a message that he would kill me .When I first came here in the DR as a widower I had some brief affairs looking for some romance but they ended with threats to me ..These are examples of how difficult it can be for a foreigner ..it is best to keep at a full arms length with most Dominicans ..horrible to say but I have yet to find a foreigner who says differently
I love the DR and 99.5% of the citizens, including Haitians!
I have been going there about 7-8 years now. 50% of my time in the last 2 years.
I have yet to have a problem that I did not start myself.
There are MAYBE 5 tourists a year murdered in the DR, not even!
The problem is the news people!
How many tourists a year are murdered in the US?
Thousands?
Viva DR!
Have a great day!
Tommy.
As a child I lived and grew up in one of the worst neighborhoods and tenement apartments in the South Bronx, yet our famly never really had a problem. We kept to ourselves, did not interact with the locals, stayed home at night, kept our guard up, took the necessary precautions and did not get involved in any shady activity until we were able to afford to move out and up to westchester county.
I do not deny that there is an ever increasing crime wave never seen before in the DR, however greater is a problem with the capacity for judgement by foreigners, expats and tourists who don't know or really understand the social dynamics of living in an unknown or any country per se.
Denise D'Courtenay, 60, was stabbed to death before being buried in bushes on a beach in the Dominican Republic.
Cops were last night hunting a rogue military policeman who had allegedly been stalking her.
Staff at Denise's hotel said they had seen her with Hector Amauris de la Cruz, in his early 30s, on the day she vanished.
The ex-model planned to retire next month from The Queen Anne in Vauxhall, South London, a haunt of footballers, soap stars and rappers.
She had been going to the Caribbean island for 20 years. Daughter Naomi Robinson, 39, said: "I will not rest until the person responsible is caught."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homep....public-holiday.html#ixzz0vBzqEHPK
This industry is notorious for attracting all sorts of shady characters but this time she came across one too many.
Im a londoner and I have been in to Ms D'courtenay's strip bar many times. I also knew Denise and have just found out about her death. I offer my sincere condolences to her family and friends.
Denise was a weathly woman and shown it by wearing gold necklaces like Mr T in the A-Team. Infact my secret name for her was Mrs T. I have no doubt she would have worn all her gold on display and probably made no secret of her wealth to people she spoke too.
This I gather this may have been the reason for her murder. All very very sad.
Mark.