Body of Female Found in Estate Bugby Hole in May 2021 Identified; Investigation Finds No Signs of Foul Play

  • Staff Consortium
  • February 22, 2022
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Police officers and personnel from the Medical Examiner’s Office in Estate Bugby Hole on May 19, 2021, where the body of Marla Santos was found. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT

ST. CROIX — The V.I. Police Department Monday night announced that the body of a woman found in Estate Bugby Hole on May 19, 2021 has been identified as Mirla Santos, who was 39 years old at the time.

According to a V.I.P.D. news release, a DNA paternity test was conducted using the biological daughter of the deceased, resulting in the positive identification of Santos.

An autopsy was conducted by Dr. J. Pender, who stated that there were no visible signs of trauma or foul play, and that Santos died of natural causes.

When V.I.P.D. announced the incident last year, it sought the community's assistance to identify the body. At the time, then-V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima said that at approximately 8:36 a.m. May 19, the 911 Emergency Call Center was notified of an apparent deceased individual near the roadway in Estate Bugby Hole. Officers traveled to the area and located a deceased female in advanced decomposition.

Detectives on the scene were unable to ascertain the deceased’s race or age, based on the condition of the body, Mr. Derima said at the time.

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