Jump to content Login or Sign up News Local News Crime & Court Politics Weekend Weekend Pages Weekend PDF Archive Editorial Editorial Insight Letters to the Editor Columnists Podcasts Life of Crime Lifestyle Education Woman Health Religion Obituaries Archive Technology BSFN Weather Weather Forecast Weather News Archives Tribune PDF edition Tribune PDF archive Photo Galleries Home Buyers' Guide Help About Us Contact Us Tribune Classifieds Email Alerts Advertise Classifieds Weekend PDF Archive Editorial Editorial Insight Letters to the Editor Columnists Podcasts Life of Crime Letters to the Editor Lifestyle Education Woman Health Religion Obituaries Archive Technology BSFN Obituaries Archive Weather Weather Forecast Weather News Weather Forecast Archives Tribune PDF edition Tribune PDF archive Photo Galleries Home Buyers' Guide Tribune PDF edition Tribune PDF archive Photo Galleries Home Buyers' Guide Help About Us Contact Us Tribune Classifieds Email Alerts Advertise Tribune Classifieds Families of crash victims still in limbo for DNA results As of Friday, August 28, 2026 Sign in to favorite this Discuss Comment , Blog about Share this Email , Facebook , Twitter By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net MORE than six weeks after the Independence Day plane crash killed ten people, grieving relatives are still waiting to bury some of their loved ones and say they have been left with little information about DNA testing or when remains will be released. Anastasia Rolle, whose 16-year-old son Nicholas Oliver Jr was killed in the July 10 crash, said her family had been told DNA testing would take four to six weeks and that the process would be expedited.

She said she provided a DNA sample and waited, but has received no further communication. “Me and my family need closure,” Ms Rolle said. “It's like after it happened, like everyone gone silent after.” She said she had expected by now to be able to lay her son to rest. “My son is gone and there's nothing being said,” Ms Rolle said. “Everyday, it's like a pain every day. I don't know what to think. It's really driving me crazy, honestly.” The families of Macaro Rolle and Giovanni “Geo” Mckenzie have been able to bury their remains. Their bodies were among the few that remained intact following the crash. For other relatives, however, the wait continues. Ms Rolle said the uncertainty over her son’s remains has compounded her grief. She said she has relied heavily on prayer and has not returned to work because she is struggling emotionally. “I cry a lot,” she said. “I always having pain in my stomach. It’s a lot. Looking at pictures, I post them all the time.” Tameka Barrett, whose identical twin sister Toniquea Gilot was among those killed, said her family is not seeking to rush the process but wants to know what is happening. She said her family initially did not know the remains had been sent to the United States for DNA testing and later learned from another affected family that they had been returned to The Bahamas. “How can you send the bodies out and not tell the families exactly what is going on?” Ms Barrett asked. She said relatives would be better able to accept the delay if officials explained the process and gave them some indication of how much longer they might have to wait. “We don’t know anything,” she said. “So that’s the problem. We just sitting here in limbo with no information at all.” Ms Barrett also criticised what she described as a lack of contact and sensitivity from officials and others involved after the crash. “No government official has reached out,” she said. “The airline, the mortician, after they did the DNA test — no one has reached out to the families.” She said even an expression of sympathy from officials would have meant something. “No one, even to say condolences, nothing,” Ms Barrett said. The uncertainty has been particularly painful for Ms Barrett because of the close relationship she shared with her identical twin. “Emotionally, this is so hard,” she said. “I don’t have no words for this. That’s my twin sister. Literally, we’re identical twins. I’m heartbroken. I don’t have no words.” Ms Barrett, who lives in North Carolina, said she and her sister communicated every day and that her daughter continues to ask about her aunt. She also blamed negligence for her sister’s death and said the lack of communication since the crash has made coping with the loss more difficult. Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the matter is with the Coroner’s Office and that he would check on an update. Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content. Sign in to comment Special Features NEW OBITUARIES NOW UNDER ARCHIVES/TRIBUNE PDF EDITION Contents of this site are © Copyright 2026 Ellington. All rights reserved.