Friends say he vanished after dinner — now a suspect is under arrest in the Caribbean killing.
A tropical getaway turned into a nightmare for a Colorado man who was found murdered on the Caribbean island of Tobago — with a metal object sticking out of his back.
Authorities say 43-year-old Christopher Brown, a builder from Denver, was discovered lifeless late Wednesday night in the quiet fishing village of Castara, where he had been staying with friends.
According to investigators, Brown had been out eating and drinking earlier that evening when he told the group he was stepping away “to buy marijuana.” He never came back.
Around 10:30 p.m., officers with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) discovered his body lying near a small dirt road, bearing several stab wounds. “A metal object was protruding from his back,” one investigator told local reporters. “It was a disturbing scene.”
Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro confirmed that a suspect has since been taken into custody, though officials have not yet released a name or possible motive. “We are treating this as a homicide,” he said. “The investigation is active and ongoing.”
Castara — a small seaside community of about 1,500 people known for eco-tourism and reggae nights on the beach — is now reeling from what locals describe as “unthinkable violence.”
“This has shaken us to the core,” said Marsha Peters, a shop owner who lives nearby. “We’ve never had something like this happen here. Castara is supposed to be a safe, friendly place.”
Tobago’s Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation released a statement calling the incident “a tragic murder of a foreign national in the peaceful community of Castara.” Officials stressed that such crimes are “extremely rare” and condemned the act as “an affront to the island’s spirit of hospitality.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago confirmed awareness of Brown’s death and said American officials are working closely with local authorities.
“The embassy offers its condolences to the family of the deceased,” the spokesperson told reporters. “We thank the TTPS and the Tobago government for their assistance and ask the public to respect the privacy of Mr. Brown’s family during this difficult time.”
The killing comes as Trinidad and Tobago faces a surge in violent crime. Police data show over 330 homicides so far this year — a grim tally for a nation of just 1.4 million people.
The government recently declared a state of emergency, citing concerns over organized crime networks operating from inside the nation’s prisons.
Though Tobago is typically seen as the quieter, safer half of the twin-island republic, the murder has fueled fears that violence is spilling into tourist areas.
“People come here to escape, to relax,” said Nigel Joseph, a taxi driver in Castara. “Now everyone’s looking over their shoulder.”
Authorities have not said how long Brown had been in Tobago or whether he was staying as a visitor or for work.
Friends describe him as “a hard worker who loved the ocean and adventure.”
Police continue to question witnesses and comb nearby beaches for evidence.
“This was not random,” one officer said. “We believe someone knew exactly what they were doing.”
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This American tourist, Chris Brown was a moron for venturing out in a hostile country by himself to to make illegal put shades of weed and perhaps other illegal drugs. Strange country, late at night and down some backroad with God knows how many locals were there. His poor decision making cost him his life! Yet another Island crime that will go unsolved!