Desiree Jeffers, 58, was yesterday charged with murdering interdicted constable Igris Bobb-Blackman, whose body was found in the septic tank of his Parfait Harmonie home last Thursday even as police arrested three more persons in connection with the matter.
Jeffers was not required to plead to the capital offence and was remanded to prison when she appeared before Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court. It is alleged that between January 19 and January 20, at Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, Jeffers murdered Bobb-Blackman, 35. He was her reputed husband but they were separated.
In the almost empty courtroom, Jeffers’ attorney, Kim Kyte-John who appeared in association with Tanya Warren and Nigel Hughes, requested an early date for the commencement of the preliminary inquiry (PI). Police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews told the court that the file is completed and they are only awaiting written advice. The magistrate set next Monday for commencement of the PI. “Why they come tek out mi picture for,” said a scowling Jeffers before covering her face as reporters snapped her leaving the courthouse yesterday.
Meantime, early yesterday morning police arrested three persons at a Princes Street address in connection with the murder. Sources told Stabroek News that at around 3 am yesterday, the police swooped down on the Princes Street address after having had the suspects under surveillance for several days. The sources said that two men–brothers–and a woman, believed to be the reputed wife of one of the men, were held.
It is believed that these suspects were instrumental in disposing of Bobb-Blackman’s body in the septic tank. The sources said the police apparently have video footage of the female suspect handling bags of clothing suspected to have been taken from the premises where Bobb-Blackman’s body was found. Commander of ‘D’ Division Balram Persaud, when contacted, told Stabroek News he was aware that one other person was arrested in connection with the murder and the police were looking for other suspects.
It had been reported that several others were believed to have been involved in the disposal of Bobb-Blackman’s body.
The body was wrapped in a carpet tied with rope and was found by relatives who searched the home in the company of police after they got worried about their brother on January 20. There were marks of violence to the head and face, Ptolemy, one of the brothers who made the gruesome discovery had told this newspaper. He said that his younger brother’s feet were bound with rope. A family dog led him to the septic tank, he had said. An autopsy found that Bobb-Blackman died of a fractured skull due to blunt trauma to the head.
Bobb-Blackman and Jeffers were separated and had a matter in court relating to assault and there was an ongoing dispute over division of property. They were due in court last Friday with Bobb-Blackman seeking a restraining order against the woman; the matter was dismissed when the magistrate was told that he was killed.
Brentnol, another of Bobb-Blackman’s brothers, had told this newspaper immediately after the discovery of the body that they learnt Jeffers was scheduled to fly out of the country. Brentnol said that the woman is a US citizen and she travels very often. According to him, she was a nurse but retired after a “disability”. Bobb-Blackman and the woman had lived together for about five years. They had lived at the home for over three years, having previously lived at North Road in Georgetown, where the woman has a property. When the body was discovered, Brentnol had said, Jeffers denied knowing anything about it.
