The daughter-in-law of billionaire Tory peer Lord Ashcroft is refusing to cooperate with police, officials say, after she was arrested over the fatal shooting of a senior police officer in Belize.
American Jasmine Hartin Ashcroft was held after the lifeless body of police chief Henry Jemmott was found floating in the sea off the eastern coast of Central America.
Investigators say the pair are friends and had been drinking together before the body was discovered in the early hours of Friday morning.
Locals heard a single gunshot ring out into the night and Superintendent Jemmott, a married family man, was found with a fatal wound to his head, behind his right ear, with his gun nearby.
When officers arrived, an ’emotional’ Mrs Ashcroft was on the pier above the water with her arms and clothes stained with blood, Belize police commissioner Chester Williams said.
She was then arrested but is still not helping police with their enquiries into the tragedy, as it is understood she is waiting for legal representation.
Commissioner Williams told a press conference her refusal to speak ‘raises some red flags’ despite it being her right under the Belizean Constitution.
‘The situation is such that it does require an explanation from her,’ he added.
Mrs Ashcroft, a former estate agent, is married to the leading Tory donor’s son, and the couple live in the Caribbean nation, where they launched a luxury hotel together.
Andrew, 43, is the youngest of Lord Ashcroft’s three children from his first marriage and is a citizen of Belize, where he lives and works with Jasmine in San Pedro, the main town on the island of Amergris Caye.
It lies off the coast of Belize and is a popular holiday destination.
According to sources, American Jasmine Hartin is married to Andrew Ashcroft, who is the son of billionaire businessman and leading Tory donor and former deputy chairman of the party Lord Ashcroft
Local media have named the dead officer as Superintendent, Henry Jemmott who was shot dead in the early hours of Friday morning
Jemmott’s body is seen being brought to shore on Friday morning after it was seen floating in the sea earlier that day
The death of the police chief, who had spent over 20 years in the force, shocked people in Belize, where he was a well-known figure
Lord Ashcroft has business interests in Belize. Pictured: Lord Ashcroft and Lord Steinberg in the Robing Room of the House of Lords
Jasmine Hartin is pictured with her husband Andrew Ashcroft at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new resort on May 7
The Commissioner said: ‘We have to keep an open mind in the investigation. But there is no suggestion to say there is any third actor. Inspection of the body should tell us a lot in terms of proximity and trajectory which will assist in determining the distance from which the shot was fired as well as whether or not Mr Jemmott could have caused his own injury or it was caused by someone in his close proximity.’
Mr Jemmott’s service weapon was found nearby. The officer had requested ‘personal leave’ from the police before the incident.
Commissioner Williams said: ‘From what we have gathered so far Mr Jemmott and a female, one Jasmine, were socialising on a pier somewhere in San Pedro. This was after 12.30am which was [Covid] curfew time.
‘One single gunshot was heard. And upon investigating police found the female on a pier. And she had what appeared to be blood on her arms and her clothing.
‘A firearm was also seen. That has been retrieved. The firearm belonged to the police and was assigned to Mr Jemmott, so he had it on him at the time.
‘And inside the waters right near the pier police recovered the lifeless body of Mr Jemmott with one apparent gunshot wound behind the right ear.
‘He was taken to the San Pedro clinic where he was found dead on arrival. Currently we have Miss Jasmine Ashcroft in custody and she is being investigated in the shooting of Mr Jemmott.’
The police commissioner said Mrs Ashcroft ‘was somewhat in an emotional state’ when she was found on the pier and was later taken into custody.
Forensic tests were not carried out to swab her for gunshot residue, he said, and she had not initially co-operated with police. Lawyers were last night flying into Belize to represent her.
‘She was not co-operating,’ the police chief said. ‘She requested that she needed to have an attorney present in order for her to say what she wants to say, which is part of her rights.’
There was no surveillance footage from CCTV cameras available, Commissioner Williams told the media briefing.
He added: ‘They were alone on the pier and were fully clothed. I cannot say the nature of the relationship. Only they can say. We know they are friends.’
A curfew is in place between midnight and 5am as part of the island’s Covid restrictions but officers have interviewed people in the area in case they witnessed anything.
Lord Ashcroft did not respond to a request for comment.
Superintendent Jemmott was commander of precinct two in Belize City, the largest city in the Central American country.
Lord Ashcroft has extensive business interests in Belize with his son Andrew recently responsible for overseeing the development of a luxury resort on Amergris Caye called Alaia Belize.
Made up of lavish beach front condos, it states on its website that Andrew is a citizen of Belize and has ties going back to the country for ‘generations,’ while Jasmine Hartin is described as his wife who is the project’s Director of Lifestyle and Experience.
It also stated that Andrew is a former director of the British Caribbean Bank and has been responsible for funding a number of high-profile real estate developments in Belize and the surrounding region.
Referring to Jasmine, it states: ‘Along with her husband, Andrew Ashcroft, Jasmine has played an integral role in shaping the vision for Alaia Belize from the very beginning.
‘Her passion for Belize and her appreciation for the local nature and culture have been guiding forces as she has collaborated with the entire development team on every aspect of the experience, from the master plan and amenity curation to interiors and social programming.’
Jemmott’s body is seen being retrieved from the sea on Friday morning. He died from a single wound to the head, fired from his own service weapon
The police chief’s body was found floating off the end of this pier in the early hours of Friday morning
Jemmott was a well-known figure in Belize, particularly in the San Pedro area which he commanded for several years. On Friday, as news of his death spread, shocked colleagues sent their condolences to his family
Jemmott was a long-serving member of the Belize police force, having joined the force in 2000
Jasmine Hartin’s husband Andrew Ashcroft, 43, has lived in Belize for over 20 years, he said. His father is Lord Ashcroft, a well-known British political donor and former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party
American Jasmine Hartin Ashcroft works as the Director of Lifestyle and Experience at the resort, which opened May 7
Godfrey Smith, the former Attorney General of Belize, is seen on Friday morning. He has flown in to the island to represent Hartin
Superintendent Jemmott was commander of precinct two in Belize City, the largest city in the Central American country
Tributes have been paid to Superintendent Jemmott, who was well known in Belize.
The country’s coast guard, which works closely with the country’s police force was amongst the first to express its sorrow.
Acting Commandant Commander Gregory Soberanis wrote to Belize’s police chief, Chester Williams: ‘His service to his Department and country will not be forgotten. Today we mourn his loss, but honour is duty to service.
‘On behalf of the Belize Coast Guard our deepest sympathies as we stand together with the Police Department in this time of bereavement.’
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