Four police officers are in custody at the Cove and John Police Station following the shooting to death of 23-year-old, Sonia Natashia Jerrick whose body was found early Tuesday morning next to a bridge.

The bloody body of Jerrick, who resided at Lot 17 Middle Walk, Beehive, East Coast Demerara, was discovered by a resident. Yesterday villagers were still in a state of shock at what they described as the senseless killing of the young woman.

A source close to the police yesterday confirmed that four officers were in custody and promised that the investigation would be speedy, after which the file would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

The woman's mother, Patsy Campbell, told Stabroek News yesterday that a post-mortem examination was performed on her daughter's body and it was found that the bullet entered just beneath her nose and exited through the skull. She said the doctor told her that even if her daughter had been rushed to the hospital she would not have lived, as the bullet had penetrated her brain.

The woman said that from reports she understood that the police officer, who had apparently shot her daughter, was in a cell while his three colleagues had been placed on the "bench."

According to the woman, the officer in question was well known to herself and her daughter. She said that he had been stationed at Cove and John at one time and had frequently been forward with her daughter. She said that at one time, in her presence, after Jerrick had rejected the officer's advances he told had her "is nah wah woman want is wah man want."

The grieving woman said that when her daughter's body was found the same police officer along with other ranks had arrived on the scene to investigate. She said it was only after he started acting furtively that it was suspected that he was the culprit. But he waited until he returned to the station before he allegedly admitted to the shooting, stating that he did not mean to kill her.

Campbell said one of the officer's colleagues, who was among the other three held, had reportedly given him a bullet to replace the one he fired from his weapon so that his superiors would not find out that he had discharged a shot. The woman said that she had been reliably informed that the man had asked her daughter for sex and had been refused. She said persons had heard him tell her that if he could not get her "body then no one can."

Jerrick celebrated her 23rd birthday on Monday and was last seen drinking at an Anns Grove bar in the company of the said officer and two other colleagues.

She was found lying on her right side with her hands clenched, giving the appearance of a struggle and there was evidence that she had received a blow to the face.

Campbell yesterday said that she hoped the officer would be charged soon and placed before the court. (Samantha Alleyne)