ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Pathologists who conducted the autopsy on educator Lesroy Merchant who died suddenly on April 18 are being forced to turn to toxicology tests to determine his cause of death.

A source said this is because the autopsy has not shown what killed the 67-year-old who was walking on Fort Road when he called a friend and complained of feeling ill shortly after 5 pm that day.

He collapsed just as the friend arrived to take him to Mount St John’s Medical Centre. Merchant was pronounced dead two hours later.

At the time of his death, he was Chairman of the Board at Antigua & Barbuda Institute of Continued Education (ABICE); training officer for the Antigua & Barbuda Electoral Commission and was also a Calypso writer.

Apart from working at ABICE, Merchant served as an educator at Princess Margaret School and as Principal of Clare Hall Secondary.

Prior to retiring and working at ABICE, he was deputy planning officer within the Ministry of Education.

The funeral service is set for Monday at 2 pm at Spring Gardens Moravian Church.