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Darien resident Gavin Hapgood, 44, a UBS financial adviser, was arrested for alleged manslaughter after the Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF) launched an investigation into the death of Anguilla resident Kevin Mitchel, 27, on April 13.
In the statement, the family said that when they went on vacation, they “never thought (Hapgood) would end up defending himself and (their) young children against an armed intruder.
“We were excited for our first family vacation abroad in the beautiful and tranquil Caribbean island of Anguilla. But with a single knock at the door, our dream vacation turned into a chilling nightmare—a literal fight to survive,” a statement released by a family spokesperson said. “Scott and our family cooperated fully with local authorities in Anguilla following the attack, and our first-hand accounts of the events were taken by them.”
The medical examiner ruled Mitchel's cause of death to be prone restraint, a technique that reduces a person's ability to breathe, positional asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and torso. Hapgood was arrested, charged with manslaughter and released on bond. He is expected to return to the island for court proceedings on Aug. 22.
The statement said the family never made a call for maintenance on the day Mitchel died, noting that they never knew or spoke to him prior to the incident, when he came to their room dressed in the hotel’s uniform.
“The attacker arrived minutes after our minor daughters walked back to the hotel room on their own," the statement said. "The man knocked on the door, saying he was there to fix a broken sink. Scott indicated the sinks were not broken as far as he was aware, but that the man was free to have a look. Like any of us would, he trusted a hotel staff person in uniform.”
The statement says that during the attack, Hapgood did not choke his attacker, and he sustained “severe injuries as a result of the physical struggle which ensued.”
“Scott was literally fighting for his life," said the statement. "He was bitten multiple times by the attacker, including on his face."
The family also issued information regarding a report it stayed at the Four Seasons resort the day after the attack.
Following the incident, Hapgood was taken to a hospital for treatment on his injuries, then to the police station.
Upon his initial release, Hapgood was checked into the Four Seasons by the Malliouhana resort, which paid for the stay. Two days later, Hapgood was arrested and charged and detained.
“This detention was one of the most grueling events of his life. Then, as soon as he could, Scott returned home to the United States,” the family said in the statement. “Scott's wounds will heal, but the trauma of this incident will be with our family forever.”
Police said that Hapgood was arrested on Tuesday, April 16 and appeared before the magistrate court the following day, where bail was initially declined. Hapgood was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until Monday, April 22.
“Scott has spent his entire life doing the right things: he is married to his college sweetheart, he has worked at the same company for over 20 years, he is a volunteer coach and a loving and devoted father,” the spokesperson said. “Scott Hapgood did what any parent would do — defend himself and his children. And thanks to his actions, Scott and our family survived this terrible encounter.”
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