Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 75-year-old man whose body was discovered on a public sidewalk along one of St. John’s busiest thoroughfares on Wednesday afternoon.
Carl Noel Lashley, who was of no fixed address, was found unresponsive shortly after 1:00 p.m. in the vicinity of the Pillars of Saints New Testament Church of God along Lower All Saints Road.
Responding officers conducted initial inquiries at the scene and reported that there were no visible signs of injury or evidence of violence on the body. Lashley was reportedly dressed in a black sweater, green shirt, long black pants, and black Crocs when he was found.
A medical doctor later attended the scene and officially pronounced him dead at approximately 2:35 p.m.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of death, and investigations are continuing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The discovery marks the third time in recent days that the body of a man has been found in public or in a state of distress outside a residence in Antigua — raising quiet but growing concern in some quarters about the welfare of the island’s most vulnerable residents and the adequacy of the social safety net available to those without stable housing.
The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has extended condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of Carl Noel Lashley as they mourn his passing.
Anyone with information that may assist the ongoing investigation is asked to contact the Criminal Investigations Department at 462-3913 or the Crimestoppers anonymous hotline at 800-TIPS (8477).
