The body of Dr Lija Godenzi (43) whose body was found hanging from a door at her South Sound condominium during the 2012 Easter holiday (April 7-9) was concluded by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) then to be a suicide. They had found no suspicious circumstances.

However, at the inquest to the case last week presided over by Coroner Eileen Nervik, QC, there were enough issues raised that has thrown the RCIPS conclusion into doubt.

As a result the RCIPS said they have reopened the case.

Dr Godenzi was going through a divorce at the time of her death and suffering from depression but Coroner Nervik highlighted circumstantial evidence that suggested Godenzi was not suicidal. Dr Godenzi had planned and booked a trip to visit friends and family over the Easter holiday in Hawaii and Australia where she was born. It had also been reported at the inquest the deceased had been planning to return permanently to Australia after the divorce to establish an ophthalmology practice there.

The coroner also said the RCIPS investigation fell short. They had:

1.         never dusted the apartment for finger prints

2.         never discovered where the rope used in the hanging had come from

3.         never examined the deceased’s two phones that were in the apartment

4.         not found the deceased’s missing laptop

5.         not discovered missing jewelry that the deceased had been seen wearing just before her death.

The pathologist in his evidence said:

1.         the knots in the rope could have been tied by someone else

2.         the woman had taken medication before she died and would have been very drowsy

3.         the woman’s neck was not broken

4.         there were no bruises around the area of the rope

5.         he could not rule out the woman had been unconscious and placed on the door by someone else.

6.         The woman had died from asphyxiation

Dr. Godenzi was married to Andreas Haug, a partner with Maples and Calder who in his evidence admitted he had placed a tracking device on her car. He did not respond when asked whether he had done the same to his wife’s missing laptop computer.

The two were separated.

The family of Dr Godenzi said Haug had tried to limit press coverage. In a statement they said:

“The proceedings of the coronial Inquest were conducted in accordance with Caymanian Law and Mr Haug and his counsel were afforded the same opportunity to question the evidence and witnesses as Lija’s family. The family of Lija Godenzi is not accusing anyone of any crime and are only looking for the truth as to the circumstances surrounding her death. There remain many unanswered questions. We feel there may be someone out there that knows something but may be afraid to come forward. The more this case is investigated, the more chance we have of finding the truth surrounding her death.”

Haug was represented by Colin McKie, QC, also from Maples and Calder and he had objected to the coroner’s summing up.