The police force’s handwriting expert has confirmed that Assistant Superintendent Ivelaw Murray wrote the suicide note found in his home hours after he killed Constable Kevin Shepherd and took his own life.
Police yesterday also reported that investigators found no traces of gun powder residue on Murray’s hands but said the presence of a significant amount of blood on swabs used for testing made detection unlikely.
In a statement, police confirmed ongoing investigation into the deaths, which investigators have been treating as a murder/suicide based on evidence available.
According to the statement, the force’s handwriting expert confirmed that the handwriting on the note found in Murray’s bedroom on July 4, was indeed his. The note, written on a note-pad, stated, “Sorry Mom. I love you and will always will.” In addition, the statement quoted Forensic Analyst Superintendent Stephen Greaves as explaining that the presence of a significant amount of blood on each of the swabs used on the hands of Murray made it unlikely that traces of gunpowder residue could have been detected. It further said that there is no guarantee that “detectable quantities of gunpowder residue will be deposited on the hands each time a firearm is discharged.”
In testing for gunpowder residue the Police Forensic Laboratory utilizes a combination of chemical tests and the recently acquired laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, police explained.
Initial investigations had said revealed that around 00:55am, on July 4, Murray, who was in charge of the Station, shot Shepherd to his head with a force service revolver in the barrack room at the Springlands Police Station. Police have also said that during investigations into the murder, the body of Murray was later found in his home at Hashim Street, Springlands, around 3:25am with a gunshot wound below the chin. His firearm was recovered next to the body.
Just before the constable was shot a Police Corporal went upstairs to the barrack rooms when he heard arguing and when he investigated, Murray told him that he and Shepherd had a close relationship. Murray then asked the younger man to verify this and when he confirmed, the corporal left the area.
Minutes later, a gunshot was heard coming from that area and the Subordinate Officer in charge of Traffic at the station ran to see what had happened. As he was going up the stairs leading to the Barrack Room, he saw Murray hurriedly coming down the stairs. He enquired from the Assistant Superintendent what had happened but he got no response and Murray left the station compound.
post-mortem examination has since revealed that Murray sustained two gunshot wounds to the head, something that his family claims point to third party involvement. His father, former Senior Superintendent Ivan Daniels had told Stabroek News that both gunshots were fatal and also that if his son had pulled the trigger twice there would have been traces of gunpowder residue on his hands.
