spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.

Ensign Marie McGahan said a man is in custody and it was expected an investigation by the Naval Investigative Service and the Bermuda Police would be completed today.

She could not say yesterday whether a murder charge had been laid.

No names would be released until the next of kin were notified, she said.

The beating allegedly related to a domestic dispute and the couple lived on the base, Ensign McGahan said. She would not say whether they were married.

It was the first killing on the base in recent memory, she said.

Bermuda Police were assisting in the area of forensics, a spokesman said yesterday.

A post-mortem will be conducted today at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. It was likely any charges would be prosecuted by the US Navy, Ensign McGahan said.

New York City Police yesterday said they have not arrested anyone in connection with the murder of Bermudian Mr. MacDonald (Mackie) Douglas who was brutally killed last week in New York. Mr. Douglas was found face down in the back seat of his rental car early Thursday morning in the Harlem area. He had been shot three times at close range in his stomach and head.

Mr. Douglas, 38, lived at Hermitage Road, Devonshire and was a well respected marine mechanic.