-man formerly in her life being sought
Police investigators say that they have ruled out robbery as a motive in the murder of Leriea Bristol on Wednesday and are investigating the killing as “a hit”.
Nothing was taken from the woman before she was shot in the head by a lone gunman who fled the scene on a motorcycle ridden by an accomplice. The killer was apparently monitoring the woman’s movements as a strange motorcycle was parked near the house the night before the murder.
In a press release issued at approximately 1:25 pm yesterday, police said that they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the 42-year-old woman who lived at Well Road, North Ruimveldt.
The incident occurred around 2105 hours on Wednesday.
According to the release, investigations revealed that Bristol had returned home and was about to enter her premises when she was shot to her head. She was rushed to the Georgetown Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Two spent shells have been recovered from the scene by the police as the investigations continue.
A senior police officer told Stabroek News that according to the information gathered she and a man formerly in her life had “problems”.
The man, he added had moved out of the North Ruimveldt home and was residing on the East Bank. Ranks, the officer said, went to the house but did not locate the man. Immigration records are being checked to see if he had left the country.
A relative has since told this newspaper that the man “is claiming to be abroad”. When Stabroek News arrived at the home yesterday morning, the police were there taking statements from relatives. Blood was still evident on the bridge, a few feet from where the actual shooting took place. There were two bloody pillows on the veranda ledge.
The woman’s niece, Shumaine Archer recalled that Bristol returned home from church in her vehicle around 2055 hours. She said that knowing that her aunt had her own keys no one ventured outside to open the locked gate. Struggling to fight back tears, the young woman said that shortly after she heard at least two gunshots.
On investigating Bristol was found lying on the bridge, in front of the gate and there was no one in sight. According to Archer, they called the ambulance but the person on the other side seemed to be more disoriented than she was.
The wounded woman was subsequently placed in a taxi and taken to the hospital. Bristol, Archer explained lived in the house opposite her present address up to about a year ago.
When asked for a motive for the killing, she pointed to a green pickup parked on the bridge and then at the house across the road.
Meanwhile, a resident said that following the shooting, persons recalled seeing a motorcycle parked near Bristol’s home, the night before.
The resident recalled that he saw when the woman drove past where he was and minutes later head a loud exclamation, then two gunshots. When he peeped out he saw a motorcycle with a man on it parked behind Bristol’s vehicle which was on her bridge with the driver side door open.
Seconds later, the shooter, who was dressed in dark clothing, was seen walking calmly towards the motorcycle. The resident said that the man jumped on the motor cycle which sped onto an adjoining street before disappearing.
Darkness
The man said that the place was so dark he could not make out a face, the make of the bike or the licence plate number. He said too that from where he was he could not even see the injured woman lying on the bridge. He said that after the gunshots rang out, residents started to come out. He recalled that the persons who were in Bristol’s house did not even know what was happening until minutes later. He said that they were so confused that they could not find the keys to open the gate. One of them ended up jumping over the fence.
The resident told Stabroek News that the incident could not have been a robbery since the woman’s bag and an object (suspected to be a phone) were recovered. “This thing was a hit. It had to be a hit, that was no robbery”, the man added.
A police patrol, which was nearby, reportedly heard the gunshots and responded.
This newspaper was told that Well Road has no street lights and all the attention is being given to Kaikan Street, which serves as the entrance to the joint services scheme.
This, several residents said, was unfair since many armed robberies have occurred in the section of the street near Bristol’s home which leads to a squatting settlement.
A resident said that recently a taxi driver had to run for his life after robbers began shooting at him.
This newspaper was told that police are regularly in the area but the situation still persists.
In the wake of the execution, residents expressed hope that they will be favoured with streetlights soon. In addition to this, the street floods whenever it rains. During this newspaper’s visit yesterday there was water and mud on the roadway and many residents were forced to walk on the grassy parapets to keep their feet dry.