Two sources within the Royal Grenada Police Force tell CTV News the body of a missing Maritime woman has been found in the south end of the Caribbean island.
Although an official spokesperson for the force says the body has yet to be positively identified, police have notified the university community that they have found their colleague, Linnea Veinotte.
“It’s a real shock for everybody. This is not something that happens in Grenada,” said Glen Jacobs, Vice Provost for Education Services at St. George’s University.
An official news release from the Royal Grenada Police Force confirms a partially-decomposed body was found Friday morning. It has since been removed from the scene.
The discovery came hours after a man wanted for questioning in connection with Veinotte’s disappearance turned himself in to police.
Police say 26-year-old Akim Frank surrendered just after midnight and was taken in for questioning on Veinotte's whereabouts.
Officials released a photo of Frank on Thursday, asking for the public’s help in locating him, and warning that he may be armed and dangerous and should be approached with caution.
"He's assisting us with the investigation at this point," said Assistant Supt. Sylvan McIntyre with the Royal Grenada Police Force Friday morning. "We think that Mr. Frank might be such a person that might be able to help us."
Police say Frank has not been charged.
Veinotte, a 36-year-old mother of two, hasn’t been seen since leaving for a run Sunday on the southern tip of the small Caribbean island. Her husband, Matt Veinotte, said he believed both his wife and their dog had been struck by a vehicle.
Police had been looking for a dark grey Suzuki Escudo since Veinotte was reported missing. They located the vehicle Thursday afternoon on the south end of the island, about 10 to 15 kilometres from where Veinotte is believed to have been struck.
Forensic teams are taking samples from the vehicle, which they say is damaged. It was found at a residence, and the owner of the residence is also the owner of the vehicle.
Police say the owner is co-operating. They don’t believe the owner was driving at the time of the incident but they say the vehicle was not stolen.
The RCMP say they have not been contacted by Grenadian police. They say if that happens, they are ready to assist, but at this point Grenadian police are in charge of the investigation.
The university where Veinotte worked is remembering her as a remarkable person.
“She was an extraordinary, accommodating individual, extremely soft spoken, helpful, intellectual, very bright, very calm, and I just saw an absolutely great future for this young person, and it is really heartbreaking to have got to this specific point,” Jacobs told CTV News.
Veinotte moved to Grenada in July with her husband and two children and was working at St. George's University. She was born in New Brunswick but grew up in Nova Scotia and has a home there.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell and The Canadian Press
