Suspect charged in brutal death of American tourist in Caribbean

Authorities say a suspect has been charged in connection to the death of an American woman on a Caribbean beach.

According to authorities, Georgia resident Jessica Colker was attacked with a cutlass, or a machete-like weapon, while she was vacationing in Grenada. A WSB-TV reporter tweeted that police announced she died from an "extensive skull fracture and asphyxia."

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Colker worked at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta as a physician's assistant for a pediatric anesthesiologist. A friend described her as a kind and passionate person.

See photos of Colker and reports on social media:

"She was just a beautiful soul. She was such a great friend," said friend Sara Greene.

NowGrenada.com says the suspect, David Martin Benjamin, has a criminal history that includes robbery and rape. The Daily Mail reports that he was released from jail a month ago after serving 15 years for child rape. There is currently no mention of rape in Colker's case.

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