By Heppilena Ferguson
The battered body of 29-year-old Rawle Grimes with his mouth stuffed with cloth was yesterday morning discovered in Le Repentir Cemetery lying alongside his car. The discovery of the body of Grimes of 476 Back Circle, East Ruimveldt was made by grave diggers who were on their way to work.
Scores of persons flocked the cemetery as word spread of the discovery and many were seen crying as several persons pushed to get a glimpse of the corpse.
Police in a statement yesterday said that the discovery was made at about 6:15 am and there were marks of violence to the head of the man. The police press release also said that a post-mortem examination would be performed on the body shortly.
Cries of astonishment rang out as many shouted ‘Rawley’ as the man was popularly known. One woman told Stabroek News that Grimes was a popular hairdresser as well as an avid dancer and member of the National School of Dance. Many on the scene also lamented that the young man was also a friendly person and remarked ‘who ain’t know he don’t want know he.”
At his home relatives struggled to control their tears and one of the man’s sisters constantly lamented that her brother “was no bad person.” Marcie Grimes said her brother was a manager at the Woodbine Hotel and she last spoke with him on Thursday night.
Asked whether her brother was known to have any previous misunderstandings with anyone, she said her brother was usually always pleasant but was unable to say whether he had any recent altercations with anyone.
She was at home when her sister-in-law called and informed her that her brother’s body along with his Toyota AT 170 was found in the cemetery.
Another sibling, who gave his name as ‘Teddy’ and who shares the same home with Grimes said his brother had left home sometime on Thursday night to go to work and had come home after 1 yesterday morning with a beer bottle in his hand.
“But then about an hour after I hear he locking up and he left to go back out. But that is the last thing I know. Cause the next thing was that my brother body lying down in the cemetery,” he said.
Another of the man’s siblings, Compton Evans, said he received a call at around 7:15 am from another sibling and he quickly went to the cemetery where he saw his brother lying helpless besides the car he drove.
He told Stabroek News that the body bore a deep wound to the crown of the head which appeared to be inflicted by a chopper or cutlass.
“It look as though is the shirt he was wearing they take it and stuff it in his mouth,” the man said. According to him too blood was visible from the dead man’s nostrils and he assumed that the body may not have been there for a very long time.
Threat
Evans, however, said that two days ago his brother was involved in an argument with another man who resides around the corner from the Grimes residence. He said from time to time the man threw words at his brother.
“He used to torment he and only two days ago they had it out and he threatened my brother,” the man said.
Neighbours who gathered to offer their sympathy to relatives joined in and lamented that the man had threatened Grimes on several occasions, adding that it was the only altercation he had been involved in recently.
“Otherwise that boy is really alright, he don’t torment people like that. If you look around this house, is everything he did. He like designing and decorating house and so on. Even the little children talking now how they know how he gives them any money or so if they ask him,” the woman said.
Hours after the discovery a relative at the family home said they had learnt that a woman living in the vicinity of the cemetery said prior to the discovery she noticed four men leaving the cemetery. Relatives were also convinced that Grimes had to be attacked by more than one person.
“Cause although he slim like that he don’t take stupidness and he’s very strong. So I doubt whether one person could have attacked him. It had to be couple well,” the woman said.
Rawle Grimes was the last of 12 siblings.
