An American man was killed in Trinidad and Tobago this week after reportedly leaving his friends to buy marijuana, according to reports.
Christopher Brown, a 43-year-old builder from Colorado, was found dead Wednesday night in Castara, a small village on the island of Tobago, according to a police report reviewed by the Associated Press. Police believe he was stabbed, and are investigating his death as a suspected murder.
The report said Brown had dinner and drinks with his friends in Castara on Wednesday evening before leaving the group. Brown reportedly told his friends he was leaving to buy marijuana.
Officers from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service found Brown unresponsive around 10:30 p.m. Brown had several wounds on his body, and a metal object was protruding from his back, the AP reports. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 24-year-old man has been held in connection with Brown’s death, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service told The Independent. Investigators have not revealed the suspect’s identity.
Authorities have not said when Brown arrived on the island, or whether he was visiting, according to CBS News.
A spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago told The Independent that officials are “aware of the death of an American citizen in Tobago this week.”
“We are working with the TTPS, and would like to thank Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, the TTPS, and other officials of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for their assistance,” the spokesperson said. “The embassy offers its condolences to the family of the deceased, and asks the public to respect the privacy of the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time.”
Tobago’s Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation released a statement Thursday that appeared to address the incident, but did not identify Brown by name.
In the statement, the agency condemned the “tragic murder of a foreign national in the peaceful community of Castara.”
“This is the first such act of violence in idyllic Castara, a community known for its safe and welcoming environment and a community which stands as a pillar of community tourism excellence,” the statement reads.
There have been 330 homicides in Trinidad and Tobago so far this year, according to police data reviewed by the AP. The nation is also under a state of emergency, with officials citing concerns about an alleged criminal network within the country’s prisons, the outlet reports.
This article was updated on November 28 to include comment from the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service
