Benin APCD Arrested In Connection With Murder of Katie Puzey
PS, There's really no nice way to cover her death, so sorry for the criticism. Obviously it's not your fault…
Our PeaceCorpsWorldwide reporter in Benin emailed this Wednesday morning that 4 suspects have been apprehended and brought before the court for further questions relating to the murder of 24-year-old PCV Catherine “Katie” Puzey. The suspects are 1 Nigerian and 3 Beninese.
Katie, a Georgia native and a graduate of William and Mary College, had been teaching English since July 2007 in the village of Badjoude, approximately six hours north of the capital city of Cotonou.
As of today, there have been no official changes. The newspaper reported on Tuesday that 4 suspects have been apprehended and brought before the court for further questioning in connection with the murder. Of the three Beninese, two are part time trainers for the Peace Corps and the third is one of Peace Corps Benin’s Associat Peace Corps Directors (APCDs). The APCD and one of the trainers are brothers, and one also taught with Katie Puzey at her school.
On the bright side, last Saturday the memorial in Georgia was beautiful and touching. Not only were Peace Corps headquarters and RPCVs represented, but a number of Beninese that happened to be living in Georgia also attended.
Hi John,
I am following your remarkable documenting of the history of Peace Corps. There is no one more qualified to write this – as an accomplished author, a leader in the RPCV community and staff person for Peace Corps in a couple of areas – recruitment and public relations.
You and I have traveled some of this road together. The Peace Corps story is a compelling lesson in international volunteer service. Telling the story will not only bring back fond members – you certainly recall Warren Wiggins’ stirring (?) keynote lecture at our Chicago RPCV Dinner…most remarkable.
Yours is also a Towering Task and I hope you follow up with this postings on your outstanding blog by writing the definitive history of Peace Corps…May it be a best seller.
Your friend in Jerusalem
Mark
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I have seen nothing else in the news about this. In fact, this is the only place I have read where 4 suspects were apprehended. Can you please give us an update? Have any of them been charged with anything? Are they all still in jail? Have they been released?
I haven’t heard anything more.
John
What Peace Corps is not saying about this case is that the victim had apparently reported one of the PC national staff members about potential improprieties and apparently had feared repercussions if her complaint was made known to him. Such a pity.
“On the bright side” ?
I was almost killed during my service. Having had that near death experience, I can guess that I would cringe from from my heavenly home if I were to read that sort of coverage of my death.
And what’s the upshot?
PS, There’s really no nice way to cover her death, so sorry for the criticism. Obviously it’s not your fault she died.