A trip to a yard a short distance from his Kitty home on Tuesday night to persuade his reputed wife to come home, proved to be tragic for a 48-year-old man who was fatally stabbed.
Dead is Keith Josiah of Lot 220 Thomas Street, Kitty who sustained stab wounds to his chest and forehead. The incident occurred just after 7 pm but Josiah succumbed at the Georgetown Hospital about half an hour later while undergoing treatment.
A post-mortem examination conducted on the remains yesterday showed that Josiah died from shock and haemorrhage. He also had serious internal bleeding. Up to press time last evening the police were still looking for the suspect.
The police said yesterday that Josiah went to a home on the Railway Embankment to speak to his reputed wife who was at the man’s home.
According to the police, a verbal exchange ensued between the two men and during an altercation Josiah was allegedly stabbed to his chest and forehead.
When this newspaper visited the man’s home yesterday several relatives had gathered. His sister Ann was at home when the incident occurred. She recalled that earlier she was upstairs when she heard a quarrel between Josiah and a man over cigarettes. Josiah who would usually do odd jobs around the area recently started selling cigarettes.
According to her before long it was quiet but then minutes later she heard her brother screaming for their sister Jackey. Ann said that her brother went to a yard farther up the road to collect his wife but was attacked and stabbed. It is unclear what instrument might have been used and whether the stabbing took place in the suspicious yard or on the road.
Ann recounted that the man was also screaming for one of his sons who was also at home. She said that at first, he was running then he started walking. She recalled that he staggered a bit before collapsing on the bridge that leads to his home.
She said that a taxi was summoned and Josiah, who was stabbed in his armpits, was rushed to the hospital. He was taking oxygen and saline when he died, Ann added.
The woman said that after the stabbing, the reputed wife collected some of Josiah’s documents and photographs and left. She has not been seen since. According to Ann the police are looking for her.
Relatives told Stabroek News that he was a man who protected the area and would look after people’s homes especially when they were not there. According to them, Josiah was liked by all in the community.
He also leaves to mourn four children, four siblings and his mother Lucille.