stabbing in the heart of Hamilton.

Mrs. Rochelle Marcia West, a 30-year-old receptionist at the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, was killed after a man who was identified by Police as her estranged husband entered the building at Albuoy's Point and repeatedly stabbed her.

Mrs. West, of Cocoa Lane in St. George's, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her husband has been identified to The Royal Gazette as Rudolph West of St.

George's. The couple, who was in the process of divorcing, was not living together at the time of the attack.

"It was such a shock,'' a co-worker said of Mrs. West's death. "She was such a lovely person, sweet, mild-mannered, always pleasant. She worked so hard.'' Although he had yet to be formally charged with the crime, Police confirmed yesterday that "the victim's estranged husband entered the premises (at around 12.15), confronted the victim and stabbed her several times about the body.

"Police were summoned and immediately arrested the 26-year-old St. George's man in connection with the stabbing. "The weapon believed to have been used by the suspect was seized by Police.'' One horrified woman who was in the second-floor Chamber of Commerce office at the time of the killing said yesterday that the Police had been called when staff members heard Mrs. West arguing with her husband.

A second woman, Bermuda Festival organiser Mrs. Lee Davidson, told The Royal Gazette that she had heard a scream and was on the phone to 911 when she was told that Police had already been summoned.

Mrs. Davidson said she then ran onto Front Street to direct the Police to the upstairs office.

Outside, a man who was standing on the street as the Police arrived said the subsequent arrest was made in about five minutes.

He added that the assailant was shirtless when he was led away by officers.

"They put him in a cruiser,'' the man said. "He had no shirt on when he came out. He was bare from the waist up.'' Mrs. West's small, lifeless body was taken away later in a white plastic body bag.

"She (Mrs. West) was a beautiful woman,'' the co-worker told The Royal Gazette . "But she wasn't wild, she wasn't one to play around. She was always working late.'' Said the woman of the people with whom Mrs. West worked closely: "I know they're shattered.'' Government backbencher Mrs. Grace Bell, who was Mrs. West's MP in St. George's South, also recalled the murdered woman fondly.

"There aren't enough superlatives to describe Rochelle,'' the politician said. "She was a relative of mine, a cousin, a sweet little friend. I only wish I knew more about all of her problems.'' According to Mrs. Arlene Swan of the Physical Abuse Centre, Mrs. West had been seeking the assistance of the facility's staff since last summer.

"I was counselling her,'' Mrs. Swan said yesterday. "She was one of my active cases.'' Mrs. Swan declined to reveal if Mrs. West felt threatened by her husband or was in the process of divorcing him, though The Gazette understands that Mr.

West had recently been notified of official divorce proceedings.

The Gazette was also informed yesterday that Mrs. West had just moved in with her recently widowed sister.

While the death of Mrs. West has yet to be attributed to her husband, it has nonetheless sparked renewed calls for a more urgent approach to the issue of domestic violence on the Island.

Said Mrs. Swan yesterday: "Bermuda has again experienced another unnecessary death due to domestic violence.

"The Physical Abuse Centre's question is: `How many more women must die before community support services, other agencies such as the Police, the Attorney General's Chambers and other legislative bodies take domestic violence and its warning signals seriously.'' When asked if she felt that Mrs. West's death was preventable, Mrs. Swan said: "I believe that many cases of domestic violence can be prevented. Certainly there were certain situations in this case that involved the Police.'' Mrs. Bell, meanwhile, said she would be pressing the issue, including the need for more Government funding, when Parliament reconvenes on February 3.

"More than ever there should be the funds,'' said Mrs. Bell, who also revealed last night that Mrs. West had a small son named Justin.

"These support organisations should not be out there begging.'' In the meantime, Mr. West could be held without charges for up to 72 working hours, a time period that can be extended if required, Insp. Roseanda Jones said yesterday.

A BERMUDIAN TRAGEDY -- The body of Mrs. Rochelle Marcia West is loaded into a coroner's van yesterday after the 30-year-old mother of one was repeatedly stabbed in a bloody noontime attack at the Chamber of Commerce.