A 64-year-old pensioner was found dead yesterday; bound and gagged in his South Ruimveldt Gardens home.
The lifeless body of Hector Fitzroy Marshall, a former public servant of Powis Close, South Ruimveldt Gardens, was discovered by his neighbour’s son around 7.10 am yesterday.
Aubrey Jordan, the man’s neighbour, told Stabroek News that his family shared a close relationship with Marshall and he would spend a lot of time at the family’s home.
Jordan’s wife Bernadette Todd said that every morning when she left for work around 7 am, she would call for Marshall and he would respond from where he would normally sit on the verandah. Yesterday morning when she called she got no response and when she looked up he was not sitting in his usual spot.
She decided to send her 11-year-old son Jason to check on Marshall. The child came back and reported that he had seen Marshall gagged, his feet and hands bound and lying in a bed that he did not usually sleep in.
Not believing what the child said, she went to check herself and found the man dead. The house was ransacked. However she could not say what was missing.
The police were called in and the body subsequently removed. Todd said that she was shocked to make the discovery and did not understand who would have done such a thing to Marshall. The couple described the man as a fellow who “liked to take his drinks every now and again”, but never had problems with any of his neighbours.
Todd said that up to Friday, which was her birthday, Marshall spent the entire day at her house. He was even there on Saturday and Sunday.
Jordan said the man was close to his family. Since he lived alone they paid special attention to him and would cook meals for him. Jordan said he had known Marshall for about 30 years; the time lived in the community.
Other neighbours to whom Stabroek News spoke, said they did not notice anything suspicious the previous night, but surmised that robbery was the motive for the murder.
Meanwhile, a police press release said that the police were investigating the suspected murder and a post-mortem examination will be conducted soon to determine the cause of death.
