PICTURED: Atlanta anesthesiologist Jessica Colker brutally raped and murdered on island of Grenada

The American woman thought to have been raped and murdered on the first day of her vacation in Grenada has been named as Jessica Colker, an anesthesiologist from Atlanta.

The 39-year-old was found dead on a deserted stretch of beach on Sunday after she was attacked by a man armed with a cutlass while walking with her husband near to the exclusive, La Sagesse resort. 

The US Embassy confirmed the death on Monday and police sources in the capital St. George's said that a local man is being questioned, although no arrests have been made. 

Murdered: It has been confirmed that Jessica Colker, (pictured here with her husband Brian Melito) was killed while she walked along a beach in Grenada on Sunday

Marriage: This picture of Jessica Colker and Brian Melito was posted to their wedding registry website ahead of the ceremony on November 1, 2014

Tragedy: Jessica Colker and her husband Brian Melito (both pictured above) have traveled in the Caribbean and Central America extensively 

Tragic: Jessica Colker was killed on a deserted stretch of sun-splashed beach about twelve miles outside the capital of the Caribbean island of Grenada. Above are her shoes that she kicked off before going off on a walk

Colker's husband, Brian Melito, 62, who is also a physician, survived the attack and rushed back to the hotel to raise the alarm. 

He was however too late arriving with help to save his wife of a little of one year who was found dead in a mangrove.  

Immediately after the murder was first confirmed, police in the tropical paradise claimed they had a suspect and that he is an ex convict, recently released from prison.

According to online records, Colker is a registered pediatric anesthetist at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

She and her husband are both seasoned travelers and first met at a dance workshop in Costa Rica according to their wedding profile.

They say they had a smoothie together on the second day of the class and then spent the rest of the week 'dancing, talking, surfing, eating great food, swimming in the ocean under the stars and generally falling in love.'

They became engaged in August of 2014 and wed in November of 2014 in Atlanta.

In their statement issued on Monday afteoon, the US Embassy for the region based in Bridgetown, Barbados said they were 'working closely with officials investigating Ms. Colker's death.' 

Police in St. George's confirmed that 'At about 12:00 noon on Sunday 24th January 2016, it was reported to the police that a woman, who was in the company of her male companion went missing following an attack by a man at Le-Cheasere beach in St. David.

'A search was mounted in the area and a person later identified as the missing woman was found dead.

'A suspect is currently in custody assisting police with their investigation.'