“I did not kill her” -says spouse of woman found dead at Phillipai
September 7 2026
Simon Toney, the reputed husband of suspected murder victim Marinda Ernst is insisting that he did not kill his wife, and would still like to have her body exhumed for an autopsy.
Miranda Ernst’s nude remains were found on Friday, August. 28, in a bushy area at Phillipai Village, Upper Mazaruni, some hours after she and several other villagers, including her reputed husband, had taken part in a community exercise.
Police said the body bore suspected stab wounds and abrasions.
Simon Toney confirmed that he found his wife’s body, and investigators had detained him pending an autopsy.
However, they released him after the victim’s relatives refused to have the already decomposing body exhumed.
VANISHED FROM TRAIL
Mr. Toney said he and Marinda were heading home along a trail after the community exercise, when he went into the bushes to relieve himself.
” I told her to wait, but she did not wait.”
He said he energed from the bushes after about three minutes but Marinda was gone, and she was also not at home when he arrived.
Toney said he assumed she had gone to visit her father, who had been injured in an ATV mishsp.When he learnt that she hadn’t visited her dad, Toney said he returned to the trail to search.
He said he eventually spotted his wife lying nude and motionless off the trail. BIG Smith News Watch understands that none of the dead woman’s clothes appeared to have been torn, as is often the case when the victim is assaulted.
Toney said he “wet her face with water” but failed to revive her.
He then informed his mother, Marinda’s relatives and the police, and took Marinda’s body to the Phillipai ‘Health Outpost, since the community has no mortuary.
He was then taken into custody and questioned about his reputed wife’s death.
Responding to BIG Smith News Watch, he said: “I did not kill my wife. I have no idea (who did). We never quarrelled. We have a two year old son.”
Giving his explanation about the family’s refusal to have the body exhumed, he that their reluctance stemmed from the fact that the already badly decomposed corpse was buried near to their home.
Toney and a sister of the victim suggested that the exhumation would traumatise relatives, who included children.
He said the rapid decomposition was due to there being no mortuary in the village.
He said the community health outpost, where the remains were kept, also has no facilities for preserving the dead. The body was eventually buried three days later.
” But I want it to be done, in two or three months. I want to know how she died.” -Toney
