Eight months on…
Eight months have gone since murder accused Trevor Major miraculously managed to flee from a moving and locked prison van while in handcuffs, leaving behind no trace of his whereabouts.
In the past, wanted bulletins were issued for prison escapees and they have been recaptured, returned to the police and in one case killed. However this has not been done for Major, even though the police have no idea where he might be and he was charged with the capital offence.
Contacted recently Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told Stabroek News that there has been no further information on Major. Investigators have received no word on his location.
Stabroek News has been told that since his escape in July last year, there has been no sighting of the accused and despite several searches at the homes of relatives and friends no useful information was gathered.
Months before the incident which occurred on July 30, the man had attempted to flee the Providence Magistrate’s Court where his case was being heard. However, he was recaptured shortly after by a policeman who was in the courtroom at the time.
Police had said in a statement two days later that the circumstances surrounding the escape of the 20-year-old were being investigated. Two police officers were placed under close arrest and were subsequently released.
Major who hails from Mackenzie, Linden and Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, it went on to explain was among five other prisoners on remand, who were being transported in a police prison van from the Providence Police Station back to the Georgetown Prison “when it is alleged that he managed to pick the handcuffs and open the prison van door and escape in the vicinity of Croal Street”.
Prison vans are locked with huge padlocks on the outside and while several senior officers had insisted that a padlock was on the van at the time, it was still unclear how Major managed to get out of the vehicle.
It is believed that he escaped in the vicinity of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Major was charged in September, 2007 with the murder of security guard Melvin Sancho whose decomposing body was found on a bed in his Supply, East Bank Demerara home.
There were wounds to Sancho’s head and a bloody piece of wood was lying nearby. Major was arrested several days after the gruesome discovery which was made when residents living nearby were alerted to a strong stench. He was placed before the court and the matter was then transferred to the Providence Court. At the time of his escape, the preliminary inquiry was still being conducted.
Sancho’s mother, Marva Thomas had told this newspaper that she witnessed the accused first attempted escape. He had gotten out of the dock and attempted to run out of the court. He did this after picking the handcuffs he was wearing at the time.
The woman had pointed out that on that day he had taken advantage of the limited police presence and despite this no additional security measures were enforced at his subsequent court appearances.