violenceagainstwomen

Now that a 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of pregnant 30-year-old Lauren Saunders, the questions many people may be pondering are: what happens next, and how long before justice is served?

Saunders’ death gripped the nation last week, sparking public outrage and renewed calls to address violence against women. Her accused killer, Reuben Cartwright, appeared before the Chief Magistrate on Monday, shackled at the feet, and charged with one count of murder. He was not required to enter a plea, and his case was transferred to the Supreme Court for trial.

But from here, the process slows down, and it could be months, even years, before the case is tried.

How the legal process works in the Bahamas

Once Cartwright is formally charged with murder, the case leaves the Magistrate’s Court and is transferred to the Supreme Court, where serious crimes are tried.
Here’s what typically happens:

1. Service of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI) — The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions prepares the evidence and issues a VBI to send the case directly to the Supreme Court.
2. Case Management Hearings — Both sides review evidence, file motions, and determine witness lists.
3. Trial Scheduling — Because of court backlogs, it can take a year or more before a trial begins.
4. Trial and Verdict — The case is heard before a judge and/or jury.
5. Sentencing — If Cartwright is found guilty, the judge determines punishment, which could include a life sentence.

In some cases, defendants remain on remand at the Bahamas Department of Corrections while they await trial. But he does have a right to apply for bail.

READ More: Man charged in murder of Lauren Saunders. What we know so far

Why it matters

Will this once again expose the frustrations with the pace of justice in the country? Families often wait years for closure, especially in murder cases where investigations, witness coordination, and forensic reports take time.

Some argue that justice delayed is justice denied, particularly for victims of domestic or gender-based violence. For years, many have been saying that the system moves slowly, not only for victims but to send a message to perpetrators that violence against women carries swift and serious consequences.

The big picture

Hundreds of cases are still pending before the Supreme Court. The government has promised to address the backlog through judicial reform, including digital filings and additional judges. But progress has been slow.

Meanwhile, public confidence in the justice system continues to waver. Each murder case, like Saunders’, reignites debate over how the courts balance due process.

The bottom line

Now that Cartwright has been charged, the court process begins, but the road to justice will likely be long.

For Saunders’ family and friends across the Bahamas, the next question is, ‘How soon will justice be served?’

Featured images: Facebook

A 31-year-old man was formally charged in the Magistrate’s Court on Monday with the murder of pregnant 30-year-old Lauren Saunders, whose disappearance and death last week gripped the nation.

What we know so far

The accused, Reuben Cartwright, appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley, accused of killing Saunders. He is reportedly the father of the unborn child.

Shackled at the feet, he was charged with one count of murder and denied bail.

He was not required to enter a plea, and the matter will be transferred to the Supreme Court and adjourned to January 22, 2026.

He has a right to seek bail in the Supreme Court.

Cartwright is reportedly a butler at Albany, the place where Saunders was also employed. Social media posts suggest a complicated personal relationship between the two.

Police have not commented on the motive.

What led here

Police arrested the suspect last Monday, two days after Saunders’ body was discovered in bushes off Munnings Drive, following an extensive search by family, friends, and law enforcement.

Saunders was last seen last Sunday, prompting an outpouring of concern on social media as relatives pleaded for her safe return. Her phone pinged in the bushes of Munnings Drive.

When her body was found, it quickly drew national attention and public calls for justice.

Why it matters

The case has reignited public discussion about violence against women.

The bottom line

As the accused begins the legal process, Bahamians are watching to see whether justice for Lauren Saunders will come swiftly.

As speculation grows around the death of 30-year-old Lauren Saunders, her family is pleading for the public to stop spreading rumors and let police do their work.

Her cousin, Simeon Rolle posted to social media:

“We know everyone wants answers, but even we don’t fully know what happened. Please, let the police do their jobs and avoid posting insensitive comments.”

Saunders, a pregnant mother of two, was last seen on Sunday after reportedly leaving work early to meet with a man. She never returned home.

Days later, her decomposed body was found in bushes off Munnings Drive, near Gladstone Road, the same area where her phone last pinged. Her car was discovered on Coral Harbour Road with a flat tire.

Police confirmed a man is in custody in connection with the murder but have not released further details.

Rolle said the family is heartbroken by the rumors circulating online.

“There’s a mother and an unborn child who lost their life. That’s what we should focus on.”

During an emotional scene at the discovery site, family members huddled in prayer. A church member recalled Saunders asking for “prayers of protection” during service just days before she went missing.

Saunders was remembered as a kind, joyful woman who “loved to laugh.” Her family continues to call for justice and respect as police investigate what happened.

The bottom line:
The death of Lauren Saunders has shaken the nation but her family says truth and compassion must come before any speculation.

The search for 30-year-old Lauren Saunders ended in heartbreak Wednesday morning when police discovered her body in bushes off Munnings Drive.

Saunders, a pregnant mother of two who went missing on Sunday, was found dead around 8 a.m., Wednesday, police confirmed. Officers say the decomposed body bore signs of gunshot wounds.

A man has been in police custody since Monday as part of the investigation.

Saunders was last seen Sunday morning on her way to work but never arrived. Her car was later found near Coral Harbour with a flat tire, and her phone last pinged near Gladstone Road. Her family had spent days pleading for her safe return, leading volunteers and police in desperate searches across western New Providence.

Her older brother, Renny Saunders, shared his grief in a Facebook post:

“My baby sister, I love you, Lauren.”

At the search site, family members wept and prayed together. “We will trust in God,” one shouted.

Search volunteer Calvin Brown said, “We walked every service road, crossed every barrier, and were met with the heartbreaking news we all feared.”

 Cousin Simeon Rolle said his family is in pain, “This did not have to happen. You did not deserve this.”

Speaking to the perpetrator, he said:

“I hope you rot in hell.”

A woman who attended church with Saunders last week recalled her asking for prayers of protection. “She got up in the middle of service and she took the mic…and she said, ‘Pray for me, I need protection.'”

Prime Minister Philip Davis called for justice:

“Violence against women has no place in our society and must be met with the full weight of the law.”

Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe defended the police response amid public criticism, saying officers acted immediately:

“A missing person’s flyer was issued the same day, and by Monday, a person of interest had been taken into custody.”

Michael Clarke, a former classmate of Saunders’ and a volunteer in the search, remembers her as “a very sweet girl who loved to laugh and was loved by many.”

Saunders graduated from CR Walker Senior High School in 2012.

The tragedy has reignited national outrage about women’s safety in The Bahamas and renewed calls for capital punishment.

The bottom line:

Lauren Saunders’ death is more than a personal tragedy — it’s a national wake-up call about how vulnerable women remain and how urgently the Bahamas must act to protect them.

Featured picture left: The Tribune

Friends and family are shocked after learning that the woman found shot to death in the canals in South Beach was 42-year-old Yinka Strachan.

Strachan was known in smaller circles, and friends are in utter disbelief.

“I’m in disbelief. My heart nor my mind is accepting this,” her friend Melani Doll expressed in shock as she tries to come to terms with Strachan’s death.

Since her discovery on Wednesday afternoon, police did not know her identity and were calling for family and friends to assist in naming the woman found partially submerged in waters with gunshot wounds to the upper body after a discovery by swimmers in the area.

When police officially identified her on Thursday, many took to social media to mourn the mother of four children.

“I am so hurt and sad to hear of the untimely death of my good friend and schoolmate. [There is] too much violence against women in the Bahamas. We must protect our women,” said Kyle Wilson who graduated with Strachan from RM Bailey Senior High School.

Two months ago Strachan joined Fusion Superplex as a supervisor and previously worked as a legal assistant and office coordinator at Dolphin Encounters before her death.

“I am a highly professional assistant with a comprehensive command of legal, office, administrative and clerical support functions combined with a knowledge of legal documents, court filings and legal procedures,” Strachan’s LinkedIn profile reads.

“I am dedicated, reliable, and able to handle a high volume of assignments.”

Gleanor Sawyer was Strachan’s childhood friend. “What gives anyone the right to take another’s life?” Sawyer asked.

She remembered her as a “wonderful [and] beautiful woman.”

Another friend Brenda Herrick said Strachan was “smart, talented, witty and kind.”

Coworker Ladarsia Royal mourned, “She was a rider and such a sweet person. I can’t believe she [has] gone like that.”

Ladarsia spoke to Strachan more than a week before her shocking death. “Last thing she said to me was ‘Sis I gonna leave. I’m tired.’” But it was unclear what she meant.

Authorities arrested a 34-year-old man on Thursday afternoon, but did not reveal his relation to Strachan. Neither did authorities reveal a motive for the crime.

A neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous said she was a “nice lady.”

“She took so much pride in her babies,” her friend Janell Dawkins remembered.

Strachan once taught at Progress Academy as a Special Education Teacher and was enrolled at Omega College where she studied Early Childhood Education.