Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

The St Catherine South police are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a prostitute in Portmore, St Catherine, on Saturday.

Investigators were summoned to a hotel along the Port Henderson hip strip, popularly known as 'Back Road', after the body of the woman was found in a motel.

negative effect

Reports are that about 4:30 p.m. concerns were raised after the woman could not be accounted for. A spare key was used to open the room that she occupied, and it was then that the body was found.

Investigations revealed that the woman was strangled.

It was further revealed that the woman, who is from another parish, was last seen in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, business persons along the road have expressed concern about the negative effect the latest incident will have on their investment.

"This is wicked for business persons on the road here, this mean more police presence. Things have to get regulated as it is a wicked act," a businesswoman told THE STAR.

Back Road is an area where scores of women of various ages gather to solicit customers with whom they do sexual favours for a fee.

Up to late yesterday, police had not yet identified the woman.