Photos of the late Anna Mitchell.
(SNO) – Not many people in Saint Lucia knew who Anna Mitchell was, but the few who knew her, spoke well of her.
One such person is real estate executive, Rosalie Johnny, a longtime friend, who described Anna – the island’s latest homicide victim – as a “humanitarian person”.
Johnny heard about the homicide that occurred in Cap Estate, Gros Islet Tuesday afternoon but had no idea it was her dear friend until early Wednesday afternoon.
“So sad, it’s my friend Anna Mitchell who was murdered at Cap,” Johnny told St. Lucia News Online in an email interview, as soon as she found out the identity of the victim. “My God I just got cold feet only to find out it’s you Anna that’s dead.”
The ladies knew each other for years. In fact, they traveled overseas together on several occasion.
Rosalie (left) and Anna
Johnny disclosed that Anna and her husband, James Mitchell, a native of Dominica, came to St. Lucia to settle in the 1970s. She said she met Anna sometime in 2000. Ann was in her 60s and James is in his 70s, according to reports.
“I knew her way back when she came here to stay. Very nice lady and always busy getting things done,” Johnny said.
“She was a very humanitarian person. She would assist you financially if you needed help. She also loved animals. The last story with her: someone dropped four puppies in a box near her gate and she heard them crying. She rescued them and they became part of her home. She also loved horses, she had a few of them as well.
Johnny also spoke well about Anna’s husband, James.
“I knew him personally. He was a very nice person when I met him. Great personality, very receptive to me. I cannot complain about him either, and I also knew her granddaughter, Amanda, whom I shared some wonderful times with at her house in Cap (Estate).”
Anna fell in love with St. Lucia and always loved being here.
“I know Anna told me when they wanted to settle in the Caribbean, they were looking at Dominica, but when they came to St. Lucia they both fell in love with the island and wanted to be here. She said they made the right choice coming to live in St. Lucia. Dominica was not very developed and they preferred St. Lucia over Dominica, but James would travel very often to his island home, Dominica, especially at the Creole Festival.
Asked if she knew about any issues between the couple, Johnny replied: “I don’t know of any issues they were having whilst visiting them. They seem to be a happy couple together. If there was any problems perhaps it was not displayed in my presence.”
Johnny was also asked if Anna, at anytime, confided to her about any marital issues.
“No, not to my knowledge,” she responded.
There are rumours that James suffers from dementia, however, Johnny is unable to confirm this.
“I am not in a position to say anything about his medical condition but I am hearing the same rumour,” she said.
Anna was the mother of two children who both reside in the United Kingdom, and has grandchildren and great grands, according to Johnny.
Rosalie
She described her late British friend as “a healthy lady” who “loves to eat healthy and drink a lot of tea”.
“I also want to express that Anna was like my other mom, that’s how close we were,” Johnny said. “In fact when we travelled together, she would tell people, ‘I am her mother’. We went to Miami on several trips together and stayed at the Mariott Resort, downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Near Aventura Mall. I do have to let the staff at Mariott know of her death, especially the manager Lennox Mc Intosh who was our very close friend. I know he will be shocked at her death. A very close friend of Anna was Billy, the owner of Memories of Hong Kong.”
Asked when was the last time she saw her friend, Johnny said: “The last time I saw her in person was a few months ago, but we spoke over the phone and I just got back on island a few weeks ago from the USA, have been trying to call her home number, her cell numbers, but never got hold of her until this sad news of her death.
Before moving to the Caribbean, Johnny said Anna worked in the family business and then real estate.
“She used to run a chain of coffee shops that her dad own back in England and then her last job was in real Estate.”
And what about James?
“Back in the days her husband James Mitchell, Anna told me, was the Marvin Gaye of England. He was famously known as an entertainer/promoter where he was very successful. I don’t know if he actually sung, but he was a promoter of music, bringing artiste over to England.”
In a press release Wednesday, police said they are “investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Anna Cecilia Mitchell of Flambouyant Crescent, Cap Estate, Gros Islet”.
The release further stated: “Officers attached to the Gros Islet Police Station were summoned to a residence at Cap Estate, about 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. On arrival the body of Anna Mitchell was discovered along her driveway and appeared to be lifeless. Medical assistance was sought and she was pronounced dead on the scene by a medical practitioner. A post mortem examination is scheduled for a subsequent date. This is the sixteenth recorded homicide for the year 2018.”
According to sources, Anna sustained serious head trauma, with one source noting that her head was “bashed in”. She also sustained a stab wound, according to reports.
Her husband is currently in police custody.
It is alleged that Anna was killed during a domestic dispute.
Meanwhile, Johnny is still in shock at the gruesome news.
“I am very shocked at this tragedy and on hearing her death, I am still lost for words that my dear friend Anna Mitchell is gone in that manner. Oh my God, this is a horrendous way to die and I still cannot believe she is gone.”
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