By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter, krystel@nasguard.com

AIDS/HIV activist Wellington Adderley, who was found lying in a pool of blood in his Delancey Street home on Monday, was stabbed to death, police confirmed yesterday.

While police remained tight-lipped regarding the specific details surrounding Adderley's death, Assistant Commissioner Raymond Gibson said: "At this time we can say that there are apparent stab wounds to the body. We are waiting autopsy (results) to determine the exact cause of death."

Gibson refused to say how many times Adderley had been stabbed; however, The Guardian understands that Adderley's neck was severely slit.

Adderley's death is the third violent killing to have occurred in the same vicinity over the past six months.

COB Professor Thaddeus McDonald and handbag designer Harl Taylor were both brutally killed in November last year. McDonald was beaten to death and his head wassmashed with a clothing iron, while Taylor was stabbed up to 30 times. Both were killed in their homes, and police said there was no forced entry, suggesting the victims may have known their assailants.

Still, police said there was nothing to suggest there is a connection between Adderley's murder and McDonald's and Taylor's killings.

However, some concerned members of the community note that the men all lived in the same vicinity. Adderley's apartment is within a half-mile of Taylor's West Hill Street home and McDonald's Queen Street home.

"There is no evidence at all to suggest that this matter is connected to that of McDonald or Harl Taylor," said Inspector Christopher Wright of the Homicide Division.

Adderley's body was found by police, who had to force their way into the apartment after he was reported missing by concerned neighbors. There were reportedly no signs of forced entry.

His apartment sits on top of the AIDS Foundation building. The 51-year-old was the administrator of the AIDS Foundation and the president of The Bahamas Network for Positive Living.

Asked if police had any leads or any suspects in custody, Chief Superintendent Glen Miller, Officer in Charge of the Central Detective Unit, said: "Nothing that the police want to disclose at this time."

Director of the AIDS Secretariat Dr. Perry Gomez told The Guardian yesterday that Adderley would be remembered for his dedication and commitment to his work.

"He was an activist and he was one of the first persons living with AIDS who went public in The Bahamas. He was instrumental in starting up the Bahamas Network of Persons Living with AIDS, as well as his work in the AIDS Foundation as our secretary and caretaker of the property where he eventually died," Dr. Gomez said.

"So he was a leader in that regard in going public about his status, and unashamedly so. What we need more in this country is more people to be like him, to be prepared to stand up and say, 'yes, I am HIV positive...so what?' And until such time as we have more people doing that we will always have this issue of stigma and discrimination — and that's what he was fighting against," Dr. Gomez continued.

"I will miss his involvement in everything," he added.

The Roots Junkanoo group also expressed regret over the death of Adderley, who was a parade judge for more than a decade.

The group described Adderley's death as "unfortunate" and "tragic".

"'Welly', as he was affectionately called, will be missed. (He was) an individual who gave of himself, always thinking of others and who judged Junkanoo on New Providence for almost 16 years," the group said in a statement released yesterday.

"On behalf of the officers and members of the Roots Junkanoo group, we extend our sincere condolences on the passing of our fellow colleague, Wellington Adderley. May his soul rest in peace."